Tangled Magic
by Shura Pirate
Summary: Having passed the Rites of Magic, Sora is on her way to becoming a full fledged fairy aide. However, when her ward, the Princess Layla, falls under a curse, Sora takes off in search for a cure. Her quest leads her down a road of intrigues and headaches. Magic itself is tricky. Add people and emotions and we have a tangle of life. Lovely.
1. Part I The Forest: Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Kaleido Star is not mine, nor the concept of fairies and magic. I'm playing with these ideas for entertainment purposes.

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It was around the middle of the day and Sora was tired.

The great forest behind the castle proved to be larger than it seems. The trees loomed overhead, leaves rustling from the swift movements of the birds. The sun was mostly blocked by the thick tree tops but some rays managed to leak through, making the nearby stream water glint enticingly.

Relieved at the sight of water, Sora set her pack down.

She rummaged around for her water sack, and upon finding her it, she pulled it out, and headed for the water. The cool water flowed over her hand, sending a brief chill up her arm at the sudden contact. As she waited for the sack to fill up, she thought about her current situation with unease.

Princess Layla had been cursed on her watch.

Prince Yuri had been seeing Layla quite often; he even escorted her to the balls in her father's place when the king was too busy to go. During the visits, Sora would follow them around, supervising—as was the custom of visitors seeing the princess. She always tries to distance herself far away enough that she wouldn't be eavesdropping and as out of sight as possible. Luckily, she could adjust her size when needed when the two wandered on narrow paths. That came in handy when there were with no walls that she could discretely stand behind.

Fairy aides, though not the strongest of magical beings, carry an adequate amount of magic to perform small tasks for members of the royal family. Having passed the Rites of Magic, Sora became a fairy aide and received her wand. She had been easing into the role of Layla's fairy aide; switching duties every couple of hours with Layla's old fairy aide.

Sora followed her mentor's works, magically stoking the fire to a temperature Layla liked, enchanting Layla's bath water so that she would smell of roses and keep her hair glossy and sleek, making sure her sleep was clear of nightmares, and other small tasks. On nights of balls, Sora enchanted Layla's shoes so that Layla would not stumble when she danced and enhanced her dancing overall.

As a personal touch, Sora made sure to add some more magic to the shoes so that Layla's feet would not blister and ache. That spell endeared Layla to Sora, as Layla is a much sought after dance partner, therefore she was constantly on her feet. Sora often thought that if Layla did not want to dance so much, maybe she should not add the spells that made Layla dance better. If she was not a great dancer, Layla would not be asked as often. She discussed this with her mentor only to have her scoff at the thought.

"Princesses are sought after regardless of how wonderful a dancer they are. Behind each princess is the promise of power, riches, and land. Only a fool would disregard one such as Princess Layla simply because of a lack of dancing skills."

Curiosity ignited, Sora replied, "Then why do we use those spells if it doesn't make a difference whether the princess is a great dancer or not?"

Her mentor sputtered.

" 'Doesn't make a difference?!' Every little thing can make a difference! Princess Layla's dancing can attract more suitors!"

"So Layla can't dance without magic?"

"Of course she can, you silly little fairy! Every princess knows how to dance! But if we don't enchant Layla's shoes, then she won't stand out among the other dancers!"

Her mentor was satisfied with her statement. She drew her attention back to the task of enhancing the shimmer of Layla's dress.

Sora was about to acknowledge that fact was a good point when another thought halted her speech, leaving her mouth partly open.

Unable to keep her thought unvoiced, Sora spoke once again.

"But, wouldn't the other princesses' fairy aides think to enchant their wards' shoes as well? If they do, then it still doesn't make much of a difference since everyone's dancing is magically enhanced. Everyone's skill is at the same level."

The discussion ended with Sora cleaning the chamber pots of the royals for a month, without magic. She never appreciated magic as much as that first moment she got her wand back. Baths, too, became precious, as well as scented oils.

Any new thoughts remained unknown to her mentor, leaving Sora to decide for herself if certain spells were necessary or not. Some, though, were traditional spells, such as the dancing spells, and she could not bring herself to not do them. However, she did put weaker ones where she could and added helpful new ones.

Through their time together Sora learned of Layla's likes and dislikes. Layla did not like balls, but she did like dancing. Sora made sure to use a lower dance spell since Layla wanted her own talent to show. She talked to Layla, asking her if there were any difficulties, big or small, that she could try to ease. Layla's many petite coats itched, so Sora softened them to feel like silk.

Singing is not her forte, so when Layla's father asked her to perform, Sora would enchant her throat so she didn't strain her vocal chords. She did not want to completely enchant Layla to be a terrific singer because she knew that Layla, like herself, did not appreciate false talent. Layla is not a great singer, so she does not want to become a great singer through magic. It would be a talent that is not her own.

'There should be certain boundaries to magic usage when it comes to enhancing talents.'

Sadly, Sora felt that not many of her fellow fairy aides agreed with her. Many are caught up in helping their wards to shine, and they soak up the complements given to their wards, taking full credit.

It tends to inflate their egos a little too much, and make them reluctant to help other fairy aides. If it's a mentor and student, then help is given readily. After all, it's the mentor's reputation on the line until the student is officially the new fairy aide.

Unfortunately, Sora and her mentor do not see eye to eye. The curse certainly added an unneeded strain to their already tense relationship.

Sora sighed. 'I really should have known better.'

It had been like any other afternoon.

Princess Layla and her father were finishing up their tea when a servant arrived, announcing the arrival of Prince Yuri.

Yuri suggested to Layla that they go horseback riding in the woods, just the two of them. The king had to resume court business, so Layla and Yuri were accompanied by Sora.

Layla, not one to openly show favoritism for the opposite sex, admitted to Sora that she liked Yuri.

Layla is a private person, so when she shared something so intimate to Sora, the redhead felt happy that Layla trusted her with this information. When Layla approached her to ask for some time alone with Yuri, Sora's romantic heart couldn't outright refuse her request, especially after Sora caught a faint blush tinting the cheeks of the normally passive Layla.

It was only to be for an hour, along the edge of the forest. Yuri promised to stay within sights of the castle.

Even with that promise, Sora felt some unease.

Prince Yuri, in all the time she has known him, is a gentleman. His charisma and soft voice lured many to his presence, if only to hear him speak. His light hair and pale colored eyes appealed to the eye, not being too bright or outlandish, unlike Sora's vibrant hair and dark eyes-a few fairy aides felt the need to tell her that her hair was too distracting. She brushed the comments off.

Knowing Yuri's good character, she still felt uneasy about the situation.

She had pushed her worrying aside for Layla, not finding any valid reason why she couldn't go with Yuri for a bit. She only had a feeling. Besides, she'd still be chaperoning, just from a farther distance.

With that settled, she followed the two out, making sure Layla mounted her horse without incident. As a precaution, Sora placed a spell so that Layla wouldn't accidentally fall off the horse and another to make sure the saddle buckles stay locked.

She waved them good-bye, finding shade under a nearby tree outside the castle walls.

Her eyes followed their movements to track Layla's golden locks between the trees. For a good ten minutes, she kept her eyes wide open, alert and ready to go into the forest should danger arise. Yet, nothing seemed amiss. She'd catch a flicker of Layla's hair every once in a while.

After twenty minutes, Sora began to relax, stretch her legs out and lean against the tree trunk.

Twenty five minutes into the ride, she began to let her eyes wander, noting the clear blue sky and the comfortable temperature of the air.

Thirty minutes, a languid check of the forest, a glimpse of gold, and then her eyes drooped slightly.

Finally, forty minutes later, and her eyes were fully shut, her head lulled to the side in a light slumber.

Sora didn't know how much time passed, but she found herself being roughly roused by a persistent shaking. Startled, Sora jolted awake to see the frantic face of her mentor.

The sun was considerably much lower in the sky with no Layla in sight.

With a couple of guards the fairy aides ventured into the forest, calling the two royals' names outloud. While they walked, Sora's mentor continued to scold her. She called her a disgrace, shaming not only the role of fairy aide, but also marring her mentor's name, making others think that she was a poor teacher to have brought up such a mindless fairy aide for a lustrous royal such as Princess Layla.

As if Sora needed any more punishment.

Her mind was a chaotic storm of worry, anxiety, and a heavy dose of frustration and anger. The anger was directed at herself for her own foolishness.

She should have trusted her instincts. Fairy instincts, more often than not, are reliable to follow.

But Sora did not fully trust in herself, having only gained her wand a few months ago. She lacked experience and could not allow herself to completely rely on her instincts.

And for her insecurities Layla paid the price.

Sora not only lost her ward, but her friend.

She looked up to Layla-she's so graceful, calm, and pretty, even without the spells. Whenever Sora made Layla smile, it made her feel so glad to have brought out that beautiful sight. In return, Layla left flowers near Sora's bed—lavenders when they were in season-she knew about Sora's love of the wilderness. Layla often caught Sora gazing out the windows when Layla read or practiced her dancing. Layla frequently teased Sora that she should have been a forest fairy instead of an aide.

It wasn't until the late morning of the next day that the guards and aides finally caught sight of Prince Yuri riding Layla's horse.

The princess was slumped over Yuri's arm.

They all rushed over, helping the ragged prince slide off the horse. But when they tried to slide Layla off, she wouldn't budge.

Realizing what the problem was, Sora quickly disengaged her spells.

With the princess in a tent, the two aides worked about cleaning her up. She had some minor cuts and bruises. Physically, she was fine, however, she had yet to awaken.

Sora lightly tapped Layla's face.

Nothing.

Thinking that she hadn't done it hard enough, she put a little more force, resulting in a sharp smacking sound.

Sora inwardly winced.

Needless to say, this brought about a new round of reprimands from her mentor.

"…and we most certainly do NOT hit royalty! You're a fairy, for goodness' sake! We have spells to awaken even the deepest of sleepers!"

Sora vaguely caught a few words, but the focus of her attention was on the still form of the princess.

Her mentor caught her stare.

For the next hour both aides attempted to awaken the princess, using every spell they knew. They resorted to foul smelling salts and cold water when spells failed. Sora even tickled Layla's feet with a feather.

Not even a flinch.

Sora stayed in Layla's tent while her mentor went to interrogate the prince. They hadn't done so earlier in order to allow Yuri some sleep, seeing as he practically passed out as soon as he got off the horse. At the time no one thought much of Layla's unconscious form, simply thinking that she was out because of exhaustion—especially after seeing the prince's fatigued form.

Her mentor came back.

From what she gathered from the half-asleep prince, Yuri had foolhardily challenged the princess to a small race which, unfortunately, led them further into the forest than intended. Layla, ever the competitive lady, was not concerned about their distance, but Yuri was a little hesitant, but humored Layla and continued on.

"Prince Yuri recalled hearing a threatening hissing sound before his mount was spooked and unseated him. He rolled into the underbrush and abruptly collided with a tree trunk. His horse quickly ran off."

Her mentor frowned.

"Princess Layla remained seated, though her horse continued to rear up in fear. He says he tried to get up, but he found his vision blurred and head feeling hazy. The last thing he recalls seeing was a long, thick serpent-like creature circling the princess before he blacked out."

Letting her eyes close for a moment, her mentor sighed, dragging a hand down her face.

"Before the prince went back to sleep, he hesitantly added that he thought that he heard high pitched laughter before he completely lost awareness-a woman's laughter, though not innocent in the least."

Sora and her mentor, while almost always at odds with one another, shared a troubled look.

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'A serpent-like creature…possibly a shape shifter or an animal aide of the woman's.'

'Nevertheless, definitely magical. Most likely Layla is cursed, since fairy spells cannot awaken her. It was a start, though hardly enough to get decrees out for the person's arrest.'

Idly, Sora pulled her water sack out of the water. With her free hand, she grabbed her wand, twirling it between her fingers thoughtfully.

'Who could have caused Layla's steadfast sleeping state? And why would they do such a thing?'

Yuri did speculate that if Layla had fallen off like Yuri had, maybe the woman would have left her alone as well.

'After all, Yuri's body had been a few feet away, yet the woman did nothing to him. Well, at least, that we could tell.'

The thought brought a pang of guilt.

'Maybe I shouldn't have put spells on Layla's horse that afternoon.'

In trying to keep her safe, Sora might have put Layla in grave danger. She was only trying to prevent any accidents.

Though, perhaps, some accidents are meant to happen.

'Coincidences and moments of happy serendipities happen purely on chance, don't they? If you're somewhere at a certain time because of some unforeseen incident that occurred and you run into someone you normally never would have; wasn't that a result of an accident? Or just circumstances?'

Sora stopped twirling her wand.

Now she doubted her spell usages. 'I left the others because it's my responsibility to find a cure for Layla! I can't be successful if I lose my confidence!'

Her mind wandered back to her earlier train of thoughts about the spell.

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When the campsite fell quiet, Sora decided that she would right this wrong.

Determined, she stretched out her hands towards Layla. Sora shifted through the spells that had been placed on Layla.

'Every magical being has a signature that is left behind when they use their magic. So technically, if there is a curse on Layla, I should be able to find the mystery woman's signature and trace it back to her.'

Though, more experienced magic users could make their signatures very faint to prevent easy detection. Sora would have to be fast since signature trails eventually fade away. The signature will stay on the curse, but the trail to the witch wouldn't.

She frowned, wishing they had thought to do this before they decided to try out multiple spells on Layla. 'There is so much magic to sort through!'

Her mentor twitched every now and then, but since she stayed asleep, Sora saw no reason to worry. 'Maybe she senses the different spells I'm sorting through, even in her sleep.' Sora felt slightly impressed.

Her hands halted, feeling an unfamiliar signature.

She slowly pushed her hands closer to Layla to get a better read.

It was coiled tightly around Layla's heart and lungs, keeping her body in a languid state of hibernation. Sora pushed a little closer despite the foreboding feeling she was getting from the signature. She must have been too close for the coiled curse sprung up, snapping at her fingers.

Sora gasped.

She forced her hands to not withdraw all the way, still needing a better look at the signature. Thankfully, the curse did not reach her fingers.

'If it did, I could have been cursed as well.' Fear ran up her spine, stilling her movements.

Letting the moment pass, Sora sucked in a breath and continued. Keeping a better distance away, she felt out the curse, imprinting it in her mind.

Satisfied, she withdrew, exhaling a soft breath.

Deftly, she gathered some supplies. There was her water sack and some bread and cheese left out in case Layla awoke. After feeling the curse, Sora knew she wouldn't be waking up anytime soon, so it was safe to take the food. She encased the bread and cheese in a little magic to keep them from spoiling. Then, grabbing some cloth, she wrapped the food in it. 'Once I use up the food I can forage in the forest.'

With her wand she called her bag to her from her room in the castle. When she saw its outline against the tent wall she quickly grabbed it before anyone saw it.

Sora left a note near her mentor and cast a simple spell of protection around Layla. Then shrinking her form, she left the tent.

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Now she was deep in the forest, following the fading magical tracks of the woman who attacked Layla.

Sora wasn't quite sure what she'd do when the tracks would fade out completely. The only thing she can think of is to just keep walking. 'I'll deal with it when it comes up.'

Snapping out of her thoughts, Sora adjusted the grip on her wand. She lifted her water sack so that it was under her wand. With a slight wave the sack glowed a slight warm yellow, purifying the stream water inside.

Smiling, Sora was again reminded why she loved magic, despite the current events. This method was much faster than having to boil the water and then waiting for it to cool again so it is drinkable.

Magic also allowed her to change her outfit. Earlier, she transformed her dress into a long tunic and leggings. Thankfully, she already had boots on—she was not a fan of the tight silk slippers or heels. The change made moving through the forest easier. A dress would have snagged onto every bush.

Her wings were absent thanks to magic so that she would have an easier time carrying her bag and moving about.

The creaking of a tree branch caught Sora's attention, but she quickly dismissed it as being made by an animal. There had been plenty of rustling and creaking with the birds and critters scurrying around.

She straightened up, capping her water sack and slung her bag back on her shoulder. 'There is still ample amount of daylight and a lot of ground to cover.'

Her smile waned as she focused back on the task at hand. 'I shouldn't waste any sunlight. Layla needs a cure as soon as possible.'

Shoulders squared, she trudged on.

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AN: Hey, so hopefully this story idea entertains people, as it entertained me enough to actually write something.


	2. Chapter 2

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Sora paused by a tree to wipe some sweat off her forehead.

The late afternoon was on the warm side even with all the tree coverage. She pulled out her water sack for a drink. After considering the sack for a moment, she shrugged and poured some on her head. She shook her head briefly, her colorful hair whipping around in a wild, artful kind of way. Her hair fell down mid-back—some hairs stuck out and her bangs were all over the place.

She loved it.

Back in the castle all maids and man-servants were required to have their hair tied back. While fairy aides are not servants, they ended up adopting similar dress codes as the serving members of the castle.

They had their own gowns but made sure that the dress skirts were long enough to cover most of their feet with the collars high up and hair pulled back.

She ran a hand through her hair. "It's been a while since I've had my hair down for so long." Her mentor would be fuming through her nose and ears at her "lack of propriety."

Her mentor was insistent that she put her hair in a bun. If Sora tried to do a ponytail or braid her mentor would undo it and make it up into a bun so tight that it gave her a headache.

Sora huffed.

"She's too strict for her own good. If her bun is as tight as the bun she does for my hair, that's probably why she's constantly grumpy."

Thoughts of her mentor inevitably led her to Layla.

'I wonder how she's doing. And Yuri too.' Her face drooped slightly before she stopped herself from continuing. 'I'm already in the middle of doing something to fix this. Berating myself even further will get me nowhere.'

With a sigh, Sora took a sip of water before putting her sack away.

All this walking allowed her to think and consider her options. Upon further thought, Sora had decided it would be better to save the bread and cheese for an emergency when food cannot be found, especially since her magic will keep it fresh for a while longer.

Her eyes darted about the trees and bushes, looking for something to eat.

"Ahah! An apple tree!"

Delighted with her find, she picked a few ripe and unripe ones—some for now and the others for later. Sora placed the small apples together on the ground to deworm them with her wand when she felt a slight prickling of her instincts.

She looked around and spotted nothing amiss.

She shrugged and waved her wand.

As the apples glowed, the prickling sharpened. Abruptly, she whirled around, wand at the ready...

...Only to meet air.

She nervously laughed it off. 'It's just my tired mind playing tricks. It has been a while since I've eaten.'

Sora would have believed her own reassurances if it wasn't for the fact that, when she turned back to get the apples, a few of them were missing.

Her fear rushed back and then slightly abated with the thought that it could have been a hungry squirrel. 'Or maybe a deer came by.'

'Though I'm sure I would have heard if an animal came by, especially if it was a deer…' Sora shook her head to rid her fear.

"It was just a squirrel or something. They're pretty fast critters you know. Or maybe it was a raccoon. Yeah, a raccoon! They even look like bandits, with their black markings around the eyes. Just like a mask! Crafty, sneaky little guys!"

As she rambled on, she picked up the rest of the apples in a rush, completely missing the amused eyes in a nearby tree.

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It was nearing nightfall when Sora felt it again.

She was in the middle of setting up camp; the wood piled and ready for lighting. She pulled out her wand to start the fire when her instincts made her straighten her spine.

When she cleaned the apples earlier, she felt like she was being monitored in the same manner a wolf considers a fox.

'It wasn't exactly a "predator lurking after prey" feeling, but like the wolf was…unsure of the fox's presence.'

While the feeling now wasn't the sharp prickling sensation from earlier, it was still unsettling to think that something was here again.

'Though now, the gaze feels more watchful, considering, and…curious.'

To be truthful, she had felt there was something watching her all day, especially after the apples incident, but the sensation was barely there. Though, with her wand out, the gaze seemed more focused and intense.

Her wand hand shook slightly, internally debating what to do.

'Whoever or whatever it is hasn't attacked me yet, so it couldn't be harmful…but why would its gaze sharpen when my wand is out? Does it want it? Or has it simply not seen a fairy aide before?'

As far as she knew, forest fairies don't carry wands.

Wands focused magic into a narrow conduit without having to worry about accidentally releasing too much. The wands are not necessary to do magic. It just made it easier for the fairy aides to work with magic. Hence, some consider fairy aides to be one of the lower fairies because they do not learn how to fully manipulate their magic sans wand.

'If it hasn't seen a fairy aide before, that would explain why its gaze carries some curiosity.'

With that explanation, coupled with the fact that she hasn't sensed any malice or evil foreboding feelings from it, she came to a decision with a decisive nod.

Turning her head in the direction of the gaze, she called out to it.

"Hello! My name's Sora! Would you like to join me over here?"

The sky darkened some more. Sora quickly waved her wand over the wood and a fire began to grow. She felt the gaze focus when she did magic, but she had prepared herself for it.

It wasn't as discomforting this time.

She put her wand away before turning back to the mysterious watcher.

"There's a nice, warm fire over here. It can get pretty cold at night, so you're welcome to sit by it!"

Silence.

She stared up at the trees for a while, trying to catch a glimpse of clothes, hair, fur, or something. Realizing that maybe it was shy, she decided to give it some time to come out and went about setting her sleeping mat down. With that done she grabbed a towel and some scented soap, intent on washing a bit.

Before leaving the small campsite, she left an apple out for the being in the trees. 'Maybe this will entice it to come out.'

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Sora came back into camp slowly, not wanting to frighten the being that may be sitting by the fire.

She scanned the area, seeing no one in sight.

Her shoulders slumped and she couldn't help the pout that appeared on her face.

"Troll's feet! Maybe I came too soon…"

She continued muttering to herself as she put away her bathing materials. Before she left her bag, she checked to see that her wand wasn't missing just in case the being came only for her wand. Feeling its presence, she left her bag back by her mat and walked closer to the makeshift pit.

Upon reaching the fire she settled down on a fallen log. Hunger hit her stomach. With a sigh, she turned to grab the apple she placed out on the log.

"Wha—It's gone!"

Shock quickly switched to glee. She immediately perked up, a smile appearing on her face. 'It came out!'

Her eyes focused on the missing apple while her nose brought the attention of a something that was not burning wood. It smelled delicious, making her stomach growl with approval. She sniffed some more.

'It smells like…fish.'

Her gaze went to her left, finding three fish skewered by the fire. Though small in size, Sora felt like she was just given a king's meal.

She giggled out of pure happiness, her eyes shining with gratitude.

With all the chaos and stress of Layla's disappearance and now the weight of the curse, Sora felt like she could breathe a little better. Warmth spread from within as the small act of kindness touched her heart and revitalized it.

Her smile, if possible, grew wider.

Unable to stay seated, she shot straight up from her seat on the log and turned in the direction of the gaze. Waving her hand like a fool, she shouted with happy laughter highlighting her voice.

"Thank you very much!"

She plopped right back down, rotating the fish before one side got too crispy. Sora hummed a little tune with her grin still in place. The atmosphere was lighter as the gaze softened its intensity.

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The figure in the trees watched the girl happily munch on her fish for a bit.

He shook his head with the faintest upturn of his lips.

'It will be hard to stay suspicious of her after this incident.'

While he had no personal qualms with her he was initially very wary of her. When he first saw her do magic, he tensed.

He knew that she was not the witch woman he was looking for, but that didn't mean that this girl wasn't an enemy of his. She could be an ally of the witch, one could never be certain of such things. Upon seeing her wand he guessed that she was either a fairy of some sort or a magic user like a sorcerer-sorcerers were known to use wands from time to time. He saw no wings, but he had seen some forest fairies make them disappear.

He had seen that her magic was a light color, not a tainted dark color like the witch's, and it carried the warm sensation of the sun's ray and not discomforting coldness like the witch's.

When she turned around, he took advantage of her distraction to examine the apples she cast a spell on.

He could not see any negative marks on the apples. He only saw that they looked more colorful and still carried a little warmth from the spell. Venturing a bite, he found that it tasted sweeter than it should be.

'Definitely not the workings of a malevolent being.'

Though, looks could be deceiving. 'It could be part of an act, one that she plays out even all alone in the woods.'

Her calling out to him was a surprise, as was the fact that she told him her name.

He deemed her actions ridiculous, for names carry power. Off the top of his head, he could think of a few spells that required the victim's name. Though careless, her actions also made him relax around her a bit.

The fact that she gave it out so readily shows that she is placing trust in him, a blind trust that he found incredibly naïve and yet…admirable.

It was flattering, really, for she believed him to be good; and humbling, for how could she trust him so soon?

He let his thoughts sink into him and the feelings that they brought. A few moments more and he breathed out, clearing his mind.

'These thoughts are not for now.'

Finding a sturdy set of branches he settled down, making sure he was secure enough that he wouldn't fall off in the middle of the night. He closed his eyes, seeing her huge smile in his mind's eye.

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End of chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

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The next day passed in an easier manner.

Sora woke up feeling very refreshed. The other nights she really didn't get much sleep. She tortured her mind with the dreaded "what if" scenarios. She knew she shouldn't, but it was hard for her to stop her thought processes. Most of the time she could stop them shortly after considering them for a bit, but the more negative thoughts lingered for longer than she would like.

When she did manage to get some sleep, she often dreamt of a serpent coiling around Layla, suffocating her with Sora nearby, immobile, unable to lift her wand or yell out for help.

She shuddered a bit, recalling some of her nightmares.

Thankfully—mercifully—her sleep last night was a peaceful dream of wild flowers and the sweet warm sun.

The curse wasn't even present.

She hummed as she cleaned up her campsite. She whipped out her wand to make sure the fire was out. The fish bones she buried near a tree—she heard from a castle gardener that fish bones were good fertilizer for plants.

Currently, she stopped to eat and refill her water sack. She had been walking for a while now and had yet to stop. She was a little worried because the woman's signature trail was barely visible.

'I can't stop so much or else I'll be wasting valuable time. Her signature trail will be gone soon.' Her lips tightened. 'I still haven't decided what I'll do once it's gone.'

She shook her head. 'I need to focus on getting some food first.'

While she searched for some water she found some berries in the nearby bushes. Though there were two distinct types. She tried to recall which ones were poisonous, but for the life of her she couldn't recall.

"Was it that the lighter ones are safe and the darker ones poisonous? Or maybe the darker ones are better because they're full of juiciness?"

In her frustration she groaned and grabbed her hair. She never really had to forge by herself. Most times she was with other people who knew what to pick and what not to pick.

'Certain items are easy to look for, like the apples. But berries, they're more complex.'

"Which is it?! The castle had light and dark berries, but even then the berries are smashed into a jam or something!"

Just when she decided to skip the berries, an idea popped into her head. Sora suddenly stopped pulling her hair.

'Maybe…' She closed her eyes, making sure her companion was still around. Sora felt the gaze, more curious today than yesterday with a good amount of amusement.

She could practically feel the rumbling laughter.

Her eyebrow ticked.

'Find my situation funny, huh? Sadistic troll.' Opening her eyes, she grabbed a hand full of both berries and placed them on the ground into two separate groups. While she had considered using her wand to take out the poison, she wasn't confident that was the best thing to do.

'Detoxification takes a long time and it uses up a considerable amount of magic. On top of that, I really haven't used this spell so there is a chance that I might miss some of the poison. This way is the best.'

This morning, when she was lost in thought during her walk, she realized her companion revealed a few things about who he/she is yesterday.

With the apples incident, she knew her companion is swift and silent. She hadn't heard a thing when her companion swiped a few apples. With the fish, she knew that despite the darkened sky, her companion was able to spot fish in a stream and catch them, meaning that he/she has incredible eyesight and aim.

Most importantly, with the fish being skewered she knew it was a person.

She didn't know any animals that would skewer fish, let alone purposely leave the fish near the fire to be cooked. 'Most eat fish raw. People are the ones that cook their meat.'

Sora did consider that it could be a magical being—the fearful part of her even whimpered that it could be the woman who cursed Layla—but she did not feel any threatening magic from the being.

Her companion wouldn't swipe dewormed apples from her if it was a magic user. The person could deworm them on their own. While it didn't seem like the person was a magical being, she did get the feeling that her companion knew more about forging than she did.

She hoped.

"Excuse me; I was wondering if you know which berries are safe to eat! I'll be very grateful if you could help me! Once I know, I can leave some for you!"

After that statement, she walked back a few steps and turned around to give her shy companion some space.

The forest quieted, as if to give room for her companion. Sora stayed with her back turned, though she was tempted to look—awfully and exceedingly tempted.

'This could be my chance to see... I can quietly call my small hand mirror from my bag. It's so close to me, the person wouldn't see it…just a glance.'

Her hand twitched, begging her to do what she wanted. But her instincts cried, 'Don't!' The person hasn't made his/her presence known to her. It unsettled her to look without the person knowing. 'To take advantage when the person is helping me…I-I don't think I—.'

Her mind froze.

The gaze, usually it felt like it was from a small distance, but now…now it felt close. Sora held her breath, afraid to move. Seconds went by. A few drops of sweat rolled down the side of her face. Her heart sounded extremely loud in her ears.

Her eyes widened when she heard some leaves rustling and some scuffling. 'The first time my companion's made noise.'

Soon after, the forest was filled with its natural sounds.

Time moved again. Her breath left her in a "whoosh."

'What was that about?' She waited a few more moments to compose herself before looking back at the berries. Her eyes darted around the place, searching for anything abnormal. The only thing she saw were the dark berries covered in dirt.

'Huh. I guess the person felt closer than normal because of the berries. I got worked up over something so simple. Well, light berries it is.'

"T-Thank you!"

Her cheeks colored lightly at her croaked out speech. 'How embarrassing! I even stuttered!' Distracting herself, she set about finding a huge leaf. Once she had one, she cleaned it and piled some light berries on it.

'I'm sure you could get some yourself, but I'd like to think I can help you out too.'

Upon thinking about the person, she remembered that she felt her companion's amusement earlier and let out a frown, her embarrassment gone. 'I'll feed you even if you see my dilemmas as funny. You jerk.'

Sora rolled her eyes. 'Maybe I don't want to meet you anymore.'

She dusted her knees and got up. She grabbed her own berries, popping a few in her mouth. The juice burst onto her tongue ever so deliciously that she hummed in delight.

'Who am I kidding? I still want to meet you.'

TM

Staying in the trees became more difficult. The trees were not as close together as they were earlier, but it wasn't impossible for him to travel via the tree branches.

Not to say that he only traveled on the branches.

Occasionally he came down, especially when the branches were too thin or the gaps between trees were too wide. It was just his personal preference to be in the trees when possible. He enjoyed the view the treetops offered and the sense of security he got from their impressive height. Nothing too big lived in the trees, he could see any potential threats from up here, and he could root out the best paths.

After the apples incident, he eased up on keeping an eye on Sora which allowed him more freedom of movement. He checked in from time to time, still curious about the girl.

He came back from refilling his water sack to hear Sora's exasperated voice. Interested in what could irritate her so, he climbed up a tree to take a better look.

What he found was the girl pulling her hair and yelling at some bushes.

While Sora agonized over which type of berries to eat, he had to keep down the strong urge to throw back his head and laugh. Only a few chuckles managed to escape his lips.

It was around this time when he decided to reveal himself—an impulsive decision, which was something quite unheard of for him. She asked for his help and he saw no harm in giving the aid, especially when she gave him some space.

He put dirt on the poisonous berries and glanced up to make sure that she was not peeking when his gaze stayed for longer than he had intended.

Sora's hair was lightly highlighted by the few rays of sun that streamed through the treetops. The soft breeze played with it; her colorful strands were mesmerizing in its spirited, fiery dance.

His eyes wouldn't move away from the sight.

He breathed in the scent of lavender when a sudden thought came upon him: 'It wouldn't be so terrible to stay.' He felt himself rise up from his half crouch, his hands at ease by his side. A tranquil feeling spread within him, warming him comfortably.

Just when his body relaxed, some rustling snapped him out of his trance. He tensed, his eyes widened. Instinctively, he bolted for a tree, climbing lithely up its branches to a high spot. His heart thudded a little faster than usual.

Afterwards, he cursed himself for almost staying. Then he cursed himself for not staying.

'When did I turn into such a coward?'

Frankly, he was disgusted with himself. 'It's pathetic how weak I've become. I can't even bring myself to trust a girl who has been nothing but accommodating and welcoming.'

He resigned himself to the fact that he couldn't be as trusting as Sora is.

Some more thought on the subject and he amended his internal statement. 'I don't think I'll be able to ever get to the level of trusting Sora is at, but I can rebuild my own trust in people.' He was more of a pessimist, so it will take him some time to accomplish this.

'It can't be helped. My trust in people has been shaken. I can start by not being so high up in the trees.'

Slowly, he lowered himself from his high perch in the tree. 'Still too high.'

He maneuvered down another branch when a stray thought made him pause. 'I wonder how long it'll take before she grows weary of the situation.' Personally, if he knew there was someone near him, he'd shoot a few arrows to spook the being out of the trees and be done with it—after with some questioning, of course.

He recalled Sora fuming at the berries and shook his head in amusement.

'Not that long.'

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Author's Note:

Kind of story spoiler.

As I typed this chapter up, I recalled an episode where Anna says something along the lines of "Monkeys fall out of trees, Leon falls off of the trapeze." I honestly wasn't trying to make him monkey-like with him being in the trees! I just put him high up because of the trapeze!

End of slight spoiler.


	4. Chapter 4

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Overall, Sora felt chipper.

Last night when she left her campsite to wash up again, she left another apple for her guest.

It was becoming a routine for them. She'd leave for a bath; her companion took the apple and left her some fish.

Though, unlike last time, this time the fish skewers included a few mushrooms as well. In return, Sora left some nuts in the morning—she found some after watching the squirrels and chipmunks.

She was glad that her companion helped her out, but a part of her wished that whoever it was would come down and join her.

'We're sharing food; why not share the company as well?'

Sora pushed that thought aside, yet again. 'I'm happy my companion's interacting with me—even if he/she can be a jerk sometimes.'

She felt a little bad for the mental name calling; the person has helped her out a couple of times so far. She didn't feel the gnawing pain of hunger thanks to the person.

'Well, at least my tummy's happy with my companion!'

She giggled at that thought. 'It's better to focus on the positive side of things.' Though, to be honest, she wasn't sure how long she can focus on that aspect. She'll try to for now.

Today, the forest scenery is beautiful, with a few flying squirrels going from tree to tree. 'It's amazing what can be done without spells enhancing things! Nature is a kind of magical wonder on its own.'

One particular young flying squirrel almost didn't make the jump. When she saw him getting ready to jump, she realized that he wouldn't make it from where he was.

Quickly, Sora whipped out her wand; she gave the squirrel a little boost once it started to fall. She made sure to help after he started to descend too early so the young squirrel would know that he didn't judge the gap properly. A small group surrounded the youngster and then bobbed their heads in her direction.

"I'll take that as a 'Thank you.'" She bobbed her head back at them.

The excitement of watching the squirrels glide through the air was great, but it also made her itch for her wings. Sadly, there were too many trees around for her to fly safely. 'I could shrink my size, but I'm not sure if a bird would mistake me for some type of bug.'

Other little critters ran up and down the trees. Little furry babies occasionally poked their heads out of their homes in the trees. She cooed to a few of them.

Every so often she would hear loud chatter from the forest creatures, as if in protest or in some kind of an argument. She wondered, a bit on the foolish side, if the racket was a result of the critter running into her companion.

"That would be a funny sight to see! Maybe the person will get frustrated enough to come to the ground."

She frowned, realizing that the shyness of her companion came up again.

'I guess it bothers me more than I thought.' Sora was trying to be patient and considerate—as considerate as someone who was being followed could be—especially after the person helped her with the berries.

But that incident only made her more inquisitive about the identity of her companion.

The person wasn't out to kill her, as she was still alive and not poisoned from the berries. 'Aside from the apples, the person hasn't really stolen anything. Even then, with the apples, my companion gave me fish in return.'

She had left her wand in her bag that one night she first invited the person to join her by the fire and the person didn't take it. Her bag hadn't been rummaged through either—even if the person did search for her wand, it was in a secret pocket that regular people can't open.

So the wand wasn't the target.

Or at least, the main target. Her magic might be of interest to the person though.

She blew her bangs, huffing in irritation. 'There goes that chipper mood.' Her gaze went to the trees, spotting nothing but nature.

"You could come out, you know! You must be tired of hopping from tree to tree! Even flying squirrels rest from tree hopping!"

Her voice was half teasing, half irritated.

Spotting a stump, she plopped herself down for a short break.

As she drank, she went over reasons why the person was following her. If she found that out, then maybe she could figure out who he/she was.

As she plopped a few berries into her mouth, one of the possibilities that her mind supplied as an explanation to her companion's presence stuck with her.

"Maybe…the person was sent by Yuri to help me…"

She quietly contemplated this train of thought. Her mentor most likely read her note days ago. Sora didn't expect her mentor to come find her, since someone has to watch Layla, but maybe she would request for someone to go help Sora out. If it was someone from Layla's castle, surely they would have made their presence known immediately.

That's why she figured that it must be someone from Yuri. Layla's castle household really didn't know Yuri's people. Yuri was the one that visited Layla and only brought his fairy aide, Ken, with a guard or two—unlike Sora, Ken wasn't required to monitor Yuri around like she did for Layla.

They probably feel unsure about revealing their identity to a stranger, or feel that a certain amount of secrecy must be kept.

Though why, she wasn't sure. 'Yet another thing I don't know!'

"You can rest here for a little bit! I'll even give you an apple!"

She wasn't surprised by the silence, though it did irritate her even more. 'Not even bribery works.'

If their trails followed the same path, she didn't see why they couldn't travel together.

A large part of her craved some human contact, especially now that there was an opportunity to have conversation.

Sora is a social being. Back in the castle, when Layla gave her a break, she'd talk with anyone and everyone in the castle. The guards, the cooks, the gardeners, and even the executioner—though only a few times. She loved to entertain the palace children with some magic, conjuring butterflies and dragonflies for them to chase.

As much as she loved the scenic forest, she was starting to miss the smiles of her friends.

She even missed Ken's nervousness and timid speech. He'd stuttered many times when she'd invited him to walk with her while monitoring Layla or to grab a quick snack from the kitchen.

'A little difficult to talk to at times, but overall, a funny guy.'

Her memories, instead of cheering her up, made her more upset. She missed her life in the castle and at this point, she even missed her mentor's lectures.

She missed Layla as well.

Though, she was—at first—a little intimidated by Layla, especially when she talked. Her soft voice and sometimes biting comments threw her in a loop. 'I haven't met anyone else who can insult someone without raising their voice, while keeping a calm face.' She still wasn't sure if that particular skill of Layla's was good to have.

Her nose scrunched up. 'I suppose, as a princess, it doesn't hurt to know how to appear calm, even when offending people.'

One of her favorite pastimes was watching Layla dance outside of the ballrooms. 'She looks so free and alive; her steps are so light that it's like she's dancing on the clouds.'

This recollection was quickly tainted by the image of Layla's prone and pale body lying still on the tent floor.

'She might never dance like that again…'

An icy hand gripped her heart and invaded her limbs.

'I don't want to think about this!'

Despite her attempts to stop, her mind persisted. Coldness ate at her as she thought about the curse and her journey. She wrapped her arms around herself in a weak attempt to shield herself.

'What can I do? I'm only one person!'

Despair hovered over Sora, leeching out her previous joy.

Desperate for a distraction, she called out, "How could you not talk for several days? You can't just follow someone and not talk to them!"

Childishly, she added in, "You're going to forget what your voice sounds like!"

She couldn't help the frustration that escaped her voice, but Sora hoped that would get a rise out of her companion. 'Just one word…or even a scoff.'

Moments later and she was left disappointed.

She rubbed her eyes, determined to wipe away the increasing moisture in them.

TM

He had wondered how long it would take before Sora grew frustrated with him being incognito.

He was slightly impressed, for she lasted longer than he thought she would be able to, given how easily she gave him her name the first night. She even invited him to sit with her.

'Ridiculous. Dangerous, if I had foul intentions towards her.'

He could not do what she has done. 'She trusts people after so short of a time. Or maybe it's that she initially thinks of people with a positive mindset.' He could not help but be glad that she does not ignore him like he does her—though; he only ignores the speaking portion of their companionship, as well as actually being in visual range for her.

He could not help it; he was a mistrustful person, even though Sora has not shown any signs of being a threat or of a devious mentality.

While there were no warning signs, he still could not bring himself to face her, in plain sight.

'Not yet.'

Although not the witch, he still didn't know what she was doing in this forest.

He did notice that they were headed in the same direction—which is why he ran into her. Strangely, she lacked a map of any kind. 'While I do not have a map as well, I am following track markings.'

The witch's pet serpent left behind decent tracks for him to follow. At times, it tended to wander away from its original path, but not for long. 'All animal aides go back to their masters.'

Once in a while, he would see Sora stop and stretch out her hands, concentrating on some invisible form or such.

Her hands glowed slightly, only a trickle coming out of her hands. She'd move her hands around, searching the air like a blind woman. After a while, she'd stop, having found what she needed, and continued on her way.

Each time she did this, it would take her longer to find whatever it was she was searching for.

'Curious.'

He heard her mention the name, "Layla," a few times—he wasn't purposely eavesdropping, he just happened to hear her. 'If there is something I shouldn't be hearing, then she shouldn't be thinking out loud knowing that I am around.'

The name sounded familiar, but he couldn't recall where he heard it from.

When he heard her inadvertently compare him to a flying squirrel, he couldn't stop the appalled expression on his face.

He couldn't even think beyond the insult.

Subconsciously, he made his way down the last few branches. He was determined to confront her and correct her—even though he had no idea what he would say to her—that he was most definitely _not_ like a certain member of the rodent population.

It was a little childish on his part, but he was set on his current course of action.

There was only one more branch for him to reach ground level when he abruptly halted, hearing her utter _that_ name. His body stiffened with disbelief and his blood ran hot with fury.

'Sent by Yuri, of all people! The greatest prince of all the kingdoms,' he spat hatefully in his mind.

'If it wasn't for Yuri, I wouldn't be in this position…_She_ wouldn't be in this position!'

His thoughts brought forth the image of a petite girl in a soft orange robe lying down with her silvery blue locks splayed over her pillow. A soft cloak made out of hare pelts lay on top of her blanket—a gift he gave her once he accrued enough hares to make it. Her bright blue eyes stayed hidden behind closed lids.

Only the faint gray tint to her usually rosy skin hinted at something being wrong with her.

His eyes darkened, guarded from any who would dare to look upon him. He leaned himself into the shadow of the tree, taking comfort in its cold embrace.

'How does Sora know Yuri and what would he be helping her with?'

His eyes narrowed as a new thought came to the forefront of his mind. 'To think I wanted to go down and face her. And this is not the first time I almost did so...' He grew angrier, his heart tightening with rage and with a feeling he felt many times before: betrayal.

In the back of his mind, he knew that there must be more to this than it seemed, for Sora seemed too sweet and joyful a person to be a deceiver like the witch and Yuri, but he was too upset to consider this information at the moment.

He only dwelled in his current emotions, dark mistrust swallowing him with a swirl of hurt, though he did not recognize the latter feeling for what it is.

'What I do know is that I can't be here right now.'

He was too angry to confront her. Though he wanted nothing more than to go over to her and get all the answers he wanted, the part of him that somewhat cared about her prevented his approach.

In the deepest part of his heart, he did not want her to know his anger—especially as a first impression. His present state of mind would only make her afraid of him, which is something he did not want despite the recent happenings.

Silently, as he always is, he leapt off the final branch.

He told himself to keep walking—over and over again in a repetitive mantra—however, when he heard a note of desperation and sadness from her voice, he faltered in his steps.

He couldn't help but glance over his shoulder.

It was the briefest of looks, yet he caught the sight of her slumped form on the stump with her head in her hands. His already tight heart constricted even further, squeezing the breath out of him.

He quickly turned his head away and continued his original plan.

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AN: Just wanted to say that I think it is awesome that there are quite a few viewers that are reading this story. It makes me happy! :D


	5. Chapter 5

'Two days.'

That's how long it has been since he decided to avoid Sora's presence, which was actually more difficult than one would think. They were traveling in the same direction so there were times when they could have run into each other. However, he kept his distance.

He made it so that they traveled parallel to each other, with a huge gap in between.

Hunting for food helped to occupy his mind and keep him away from the main forest path. 'Though, it does take me a while to hunt as of late.' Unconsciously, he was extending the chase of his prey, burning off more of his pent up energy.

The chase kept his mind focused on the prey, rather than on his emotions.

In the afternoon of the first day he practiced his aim, shooting at thick tree trunks. He didn't like to use the thinner trunks because, most of the time, they were young trees. Younger trees have not accumulated enough layers of bark to protect the main body of the trunk.

Having lived in the wilderness for most of his life, it made him appreciate the life that grows in nature; and it made him protective of it. 'It must be in my blood.' He recalled his mother and sister being protective of the part of the forest they lived in. Thoughts of his sister made his eyes stray to his pack, spotting his fur cloak.

His mind drifted to when he presented Sophie with her own cloak.

It was made mostly of hare pelts. She only accepted the gift after verifying that he didn't hunt them down for this specific reason; the pelts had to have come from hares and rabbits used for food. While that was true, he was selective in which pelts he used for her cloak—this explains why it took him some time to make the pelt—and the rest he used for parts of his own cloak.

The cloak represented a bond and his gratitude.

He remembered her joy upon receiving the gift and how she ran her fingers through it, appreciating its softness and warmth. She recognized where the pelts were from and her eyes shined with a sad fondness.

He was glad he didn't have to explain.

TM

There was a winter that was very cold; the siblings barely made it through. He had been a young boy then, and the pair lost their mother in the early autumn. It was like the warmth that previously surrounded them died with their mother.

Aggrieved, the two were enclosed in their loss and time slipped by them.

When he realized that winter would be coming soon, he snapped back into reality and began gathering firewood and storing food. Sophie joined him, though she was unusually quiet. She gathered water, nuts, berries, and wild mushrooms while he hunted.

Or at least, he tried to hunt.

There were very few animals out. Many were tucked away in their dens or migrated to warmer areas for the winter. The few he was able to catch, he quickly smoked and cleaned the pelts as much as he could.

No matter how fast they worked, they had started too late.

Winter hit them with the thickest snowfall he had ever seen. Even with rationing, they were quickly running out of food. He felt despair, not knowing what they would do.

However, seeing his sister's shivering form curled around their mother's favorite tunic, he was determined that they would survive this. Somehow. Resolution burned in his breast; he hugged Sophie closer to his body for warmth. Her body calmed.

The snow finally settled, allowing him to venture out of their little haven. It was blindingly white, but he forced his eyes to look. He hid behind a tree, his small bow at the ready as he watched and waited for movement.

'Nothing.' He frowned, a stern look on his young face.

It wasn't until Sophie came out that any progress was made.

She had been watching from their shelter and noticed something that her brother didn't. She assumed it was because of where he was hiding.

"There are moving clumps of snow over there, digging up some roots or grass from under the snow. I think they might be hares."

Silently, Sophie led him to where she saw the creatures. The "clumps of snow" certainly blended in with the snow. He lightly clapped his hands to get a reaction.

Sure enough, the creatures stilled. Ears swerved from left to right, searching for the noise. Some got on their hind legs. He smiled.

"Good job, Sophie."

She smiled back, happy to be able to help.

They were a great hunting pair; Sophie could spot animals all over the forest. She improved her skills after that particular winter.

Together, they survived.

When the snow cleared, he went out to find a tanner so that he could learn to cure his pelts. He kept the snow hare pelts tucked away, planning to make Sophie a cloak as a gift.

However, he wanted it to last, so he waited until she grew out of her older cloak. When she stopped growing so much, he set about making her new cloak.

He tried to use as much of the snow hare pelts as possible. There was a range of colors as the hares' coats started to darken as winter passed. The top part of her cloak was the whitest.

When she tried it out, the white drew attention to her rosy cheeks and her pretty blue eyes. 'She's becoming a fine young girl. Mother would be proud.'

A small, nostalgic smile appeared on his face.

She twirled.

"How do I look?"

He hummed and put a hand to his chin.

"Like a petite snow fairy," he joked.

She shoved him, gently.

He overplayed her push and fell on the ground with a grin on his face.

TM

The memories were bittersweet; they stung as much as they soothed his heart.

With the strong emotions whirling around in him, he practiced for a long time, letting the sounds of the bow's 'twanging' and the 'thunking' of the arrows hitting their target be his lulling hymn.

His aim improved a few notches.

Once he was satisfied with practice, he looked for track markings to make sure he headed in the right direction. He couldn't afford to stay still the whole day.

The second day he worked on his endurance. He weaved through the trees, dodging low branches and jumping over small animal holes and streams—all the while making sure his steps were light. When he felt like it, he ran up a tree and climbed it as fast as he could.

As night fell, he collapsed on the forest floor, exhausted. He already hunted for the day, having eaten earlier on. Finally still, his thoughts broke through.

His earlier thoughts of Sophie led him to Sora.

Sora's association with Yuri, whatever form it took, felt like a treachery of sorts. He was not as angry as he was the first day, but he still was distraught over the issue.

He couldn't explain it.

He didn't really know her; he only knew bits and pieces about her from what he has seen and what she has said. Yet, he felt like he was lied to by a close friend. 'Why would I feel like this? It isn't rational!'

He knew that issues that deal with Sophie he was defensive about and he was furious over Yuri's very existence. But why he was taking the issue with Sora so personally, he didn't know. Frustrated with his behavior, he debated over this issue for most of the night.

On the dawn of the third day, he awoke with an answer.

'It's because she's so open about her thoughts and feelings.' Her speech and mannerisms were familial, even with him—a stranger to her—since the very beginning. 'She tried to make me feel at home in her company, which is why I feel comfortable around her, like we're old friends.'

When he was presented with information that did not fit his image of her—that is what truly upset him. Knowing that she has a connection to Yuri threw him off. 'It was then that I actually realized that I know so little about her.'

There is a gap in what he knows about Sora.

He doesn't know her history. Not knowing her past and where she came from are reasons why he cannot bring himself to trust her completely. 'A while back I even wondered why she was in this forest.'

Knowing what he perceived as the problem led him to a solution.

'It's what I should have done from the beginning. I need to talk with her, truly interact with her. Then, maybe, I can trust her.'

He felt a small glimmer of hope rise out from beneath the ashy remains of the anger within him. It would be possible to learn how to trust again, with Sora being the first to receive it after so long.

It was a little daunting that a stranger could inspire even a small amount of hope in him, but he wasn't going to shy away from her.

'Not this time.'

He knew that because of his own past experiences with trust, he was afraid.

That bitter backlash that hit him with Sora's involvement with Yuri hurt—more than he would have ever expected it to. 'In a way, already going through this with Sora will help me overcome my hesitations—though I know it was not from any sly actions on her part.'

Once a person goes through their worst fears, those fears lose their power, if one can move on beyond the initial fright.

Realistically, he cannot undo the damage he has done.

Sora's hunched over form flashed through his mind. Guilt twisted his stomach.

'But I can strive to understand her so that other misunderstandings do not occur.' When Sora made that statement about him being sent by Yuri, it was an innocent guess. She did not know his past dealings with Yuri to know that her guess was horribly incorrect.

His eyes widened briefly.

'This means that she would have to know my history as well.' He wasn't quite sure if he was comfortable with that, for he was a private person. However, he very much doubted that he could simply tell her to avoid certain subjects without giving her any explanations.

He sighed in resignation.

'It can't be helped. I'll try to answer questions that she has. Though, I can't guarantee that I'll answer all of them.' He took a bite of some smoked rabbit.

'I will need to know how she is connected to Yuri.' She might be able to help him, if anything. He knew that his desire to know was mainly in order to give him a peace of mind, to know that he was correct when he thought her to be innocent and kind.

The mistrustful part of him whispered, 'What happens if you were wrong?'

He stilled at that thought before roughly pushing it aside. 'My fears will not dictate my actions.'

Resolved, he tied up his meat bag, and got up to continue his journey.

AN: I want to apologize for the short spacings between the story and the author's notes (AN) in my earlier chapters. I think I'm getting the hang of how to have my chapters before I upload them. J


	6. Chapter 6

Sora dealt with the first day without her companion in anger.

She wouldn't consider herself to be a hotheaded person—impulsive, yes, but not hotheaded. Most times, she was the peace keeper and preferred to stand down when arguments got heated.

But every once in a while her patience snapped, and may Mother Nature pity the soul who caused it.

When tears started to form, yet again, she grew angry.

"Why am I crying?! I'm not the one that's being an insensitive little troll of a jerk!" She didn't know why, all of a sudden, her companion—ex-companion—wasn't around anymore, but she was tired of trying to figure the person out.

"The person doesn't even give me a clue or some kind of note…Even I left a note before leaving for this journey!"

A few more tears slid down her cheeks. She was frustrated about many things; she couldn't pinpoint all of them. But she did know that most of it revolved around a certain person. "A no good, I'll-come-and-go-as-I-please-kind of person! Of all the nerve!"

With an air of finality, Sora wiped her eyes one last time and declared, "I'm not going to think about it anymore!"

She had other things to worry about than the fickleness of a stranger.

TM

Most of the second day consisted of Sora trying to hold onto her anger. She wanted to wrap it around her like armor so that other feelings, such as loneliness and abandonment, didn't creep in.

Anger is an emotion that is easier for people to understand and deal with; it allows people to feel justified in their actions because of the wrongs done to them—whether true or not—and offers an immediate outlet: violence.

Sora's version of "violence" was stomping her feet. Not all that intimidating, but it made her feel better.

Her anger exploded over when she reached a fork in the road. She fumed.

"Of course, there can't just be a straight road. There's got to be twists and turns all over the place!" She snapped her hands up and concentrated.

And concentrated.

Sweat collected on her brow. 'Where is it?!' She took another breath and felt around.

After searching for far too long, her eyes snapped open in dreadful realization.

"It's gone…"

Her whisper was one of disbelief and desolation. She knew, theoretically, that signatures don't last forever.

Signatures are like fires.

It's like the woman lit a huge bonfire over with Layla—the bonfire being the curse—and then the torch she used to light the bonfire is her signature trail. You can see the torch as the woman walked away from the bonfire, and so following her is possible. Unfortunately, the torch will eventually die out, but the bonfire—big and strong—will stay.

'The torch has finally died out.'

Sora gripped her hair tightly, shaking her head.

"No, no, no!"

Her knees gave out. She landed hard on the pathway.

Silence.

Suddenly, sound started to come out of her throat. Her laughter—if it could be called as such—was tinged with a slight unstableness to it and grew in volume.

When her voice reached its peak, it abruptly dropped in volume, being replaced with sobs.

She fell down on the ground, bringing her arms around her legs, trying to make herself as small as she felt. Her head rested on her knees and her hair covered her face.

She knew it would be gone, but she didn't think it would be this soon. She _hoped_ it wouldn't be this soon. 'It's too soon, too soon…'

Something plopped on her head, startling her.

She brought her tearful gaze up, meeting the upside down face of a flying squirrel. He had three black stripes on his forehead, markings she had seen before.

Her voice croaked out, "You're the young squirrel from earlier."

He bobbed his head.

Through chitters and tugs, Sora got the impression that the squirrel wanted her to follow him. She complied, and followed him to a tree with several other squirrels peeking out of a hole. The squirrel sat on her shoulder and tugged her hair upward repeatedly.

"Are you…inviting me into your home?"

He bobbed his head again.

As the sun started lowering in the sky, the air grew chilly. She shivered, though her insides felt warm. Touched by his kindness, Sora allowed herself this comfort, this chance to be in a sanctuary of sorts.

Putting the squirrel down, she grabbed her pack and wand, made her wings appear and shrank herself.

Once she entered the hole, she was the center of several inquisitive squirrels touching her hair and patting her head and face.

Their curious beady eyes followed her wings as they fluttered nervously. Thankfully, they didn't touch the gossamer forms. When she regained some space, she made her wings disappear again.

It was a little mind boggling that she and the young squirrels were at eye level. The adult squirrels were at least two heads taller than her. 'I wonder if they feel that this is a little disorienting. I know I do.'

Her concerns were forgotten when a smaller squirrel came up and nuzzled under her chin. She felt a smile bloom on her face.

That night, as she cuddled with her new acquaintances, she felt her heart lighten considerably, soaking up the friendly intimacy she so craved.

However, the feeling also reminded her of her old companion and she could not stop the tear that leaked out. She missed their food trades and the comfort she eventually felt from the person's presence. Her companion's departure left a small void inside her.

'I came to depend on my companion; if I was unsure about something, I could turn to the person for help.' She let out a sigh.

'I sure could use their help, especially now that my lead is gone.'

The small squirrel from before rubbed her face into Sora's in affection. Sora rubbed back, bringing a hand up to scratch her friend's soft, fuzzy ears.

'I'll rest for now.'

TM

The late morning air had a foreboding feeling to it.

When he woke up this morning, filled with realizations, he was assuming—hoping—that the rest of the day would be somewhat calm.

Despite it being so late in the morning, the part of the forest he was in was filled with a fog. 'There must be a large body of water nearby, most likely the source of the misty air. A waterfall, I suspect.'

Ideally, he would like to meet up with Sora today. He was lessening the gap between him and Sora so that he could make amends with her and find out some answers.

Along the way to the stream, he noticed some blackberries. A small grin appeared on his face as he recalled Sora's agitation with the berry bushes a few days ago. He peeled his fingerless gloves off and slipped them beneath his belt. He picked some and put them away in one of his food pouches.

'A peace offering.'

He snorted softly. He probably needed a lot more than berries to pacify her. His fingers had some berry juice from using a little more force to pluck the tougher berries that would not come off.

He allowed himself a small break by the stream.

Making sure that the water was safe, he then plunged his hands into the water. The stream felt cool and refreshing.

Whatever mood she is in, he decided that he would face her. But that didn't mean that he didn't wonder what state she will be in.

'I am still not sure how she will react to my presence. Will she be angry with me? Ignore me? Scorn me? Or be indifferent to it all?'

Maybe he was overthinking this.

He dunked his head into the water. He brought his head out, took his hair out of its ponytail and shook it. His long silvery hair shimmered. Still partially wet, he shrugged and tied it back into a low ponytail.

As he was putting his gloves on, he noticed something that had his body tensing. 'The forest is too quiet.'

All birdsong, rustling, munching, and chattering stopped too brusquely to be normal.

'Something is wrong.'

Without looking, his fingers readied an arrow, familiar with the long practiced motions.

Still in a crouch, he looked around, trying to spot the danger. Slowly, he inched his way out of the open, subtly turning his head to expand his visual range.

His eyes narrowed in concentration.

'Where is it?'

TM

Sora slept in the next morning, as well as a few of the younger flying squirrels.

She woke up to them curled around her. A few chittered in their sleep, making her wonder if squirrels had dreams. She let out a sleepy smile at that thought.

Carefully, she untangled herself from the group, stepping over limbs and tails.

Despite her best intentions, a racket from the opening of the hole had everyone up. The squirrel that brought her here chittered loudly and rapidly, catching the ears of all.

Grabbing her stuff, she made her way to the opening.

"What's wrong?"

Sora had to quickly side-step as the squirrels that were outside barreled into the hole. Immediately after, the entire tree shook, as if something collided heavily into it.

"Whoa!"

The small home was filled with squeaks.

Finally, the tree stopped shaking. The entrance cleared again. Sora took a look and gasped.

A long, thick creature was making its way up the tree. It had the body of a huge snake, but the dark purple scales and legs looked dragonish. Instead of scaled ridges, it had bright red hair along its spine. Currently, it was trying to place some weight on a branch, digging its talons into the wood.

Her face lost its color as she realized what this was.

"The serpent-like creature!"

As if being called, the serpent fixed its eyes on her. It bared its fangs, its forked tongue flicking out. The squirrels near her had their tails raised up and twitching as they hissed. Her instincts screamed at her.

Before the serpent could get any closer or attack, Sora pulled out her wand. She leaned over the entrance and blasted the serpent in the face. It was precariously on the branch, so the force of Sora's magic made it hit the forest floor with a screech.

Her head whipped over to look at her new friends.

"I have to go! I'll try to lure it away from here!"

Quickly, she made her wings appear, switching the pack's strap to one shoulder.

Sora turned towards her host. "Thank you for being so kind to me!" She rubbed faces with him, and waved to the others.

Then she hopped out of their home, flying towards the serpent.

TM

TM

TM

AN: I am not an expert in flying squirrel behavior. I based it off of the squirrel scene from The Sword in the Stone movie and my own observations of the squirrels around campus. :P It seems plausible to me!

Oh, and I noticed that the spacing between the story and AN's hasn't been fixed. Sorry!


	7. Chapter 7

The scenery zoomed by: trees, bushes, flowers, mist and sky all blurred together into one.

Sora's hair flew all around her head, her wings fluttered furiously like a hummingbird's. Her wings glittered with sunlight yellow, the color of her magic, and streaked behind her in a thin trail. The speed she was going at had her eyes watering, but she could not stop.

For what moved directly behind her was a terrifying creature she had never seen before.

The serpent followed her with a vicious dedication, never faltering it its frightfully fast pace. Its movements were fascinatingly snake-like in that it sort of zigzagged, but its head led his body as if in a permanent lunging motion.

Despite the dire situation, Sora couldn't help but feel exhilarated.

Granted, there was a good deal of fear and anxiety that she is feeling, but it had been such a long time since she has been able to really fly.

Before, the trees were too thick and close together. Now, though, there was some space. Yet, there was a new possibility that she hadn't faced before that she was currently experiencing—aside the serpent's relentless chase of her small form.

Out here, she is able to push herself past her usual abilities.

Never before did she have to fly so fast or have to weave through so many unknown and sudden obstacles without slowing down. Her magic tests mainly looked at the basics of flying and dodging rather large objects—it was pitiably simple.

The bulk of the tests dealt with spell casting and enhancing. Back then, she didn't see anything wrong with this way of testing. It made some sense, especially for fairy aides whose sole purpose is spell casting.

Before her testing—when she was a young fairy—she used to fly around doing loops and twirls in the air. She liked the feeling of flight and seeing what she was capable of.

Once the Rites of Magic began though, she didn't have the time to play around.

But here, out in the forest, she could see that her "playtime" days were helping her right now.

That attitude from those days, the one that pushed her to go faster, to simply go, go, go…that is what was saving her now; not the flying skills from her Rites of Magic testing.

She zipped around more, squeezing through the branches and dodging the serpent's maws when it got too close.

'Those flying lessons and tests were severely lacking.'

Her flight grew more challenging as the mist thickened and her wings tired. 'I've lured it far away from the tree by now. Good thing, since I don't know how much longer I can keep this speed.'

As she thought that, her speed slowed slightly. She could feel her wings straining. 'But I can't stop until I have a plan! I was only thinking about how I needed to get it away from my friends!'

She "eeped!" as she dodged a branch that suddenly came into her view.

"This fog isn't helping either!"

She briefly looked back to see if the serpent hit the branch. It didn't evade the branch entirely, but it quickly recovered and was able to continue the chase.

She huffed. 'So much for nature helping me out!'

Sora blinked.

'Wait a minute…maybe it can!'

A plan formed in her mind.

'It would be tricky, but I'm confident in my flying abilities.' She nodded her head.

"Let's do this!"

Sora flew lower, gradually, so the serpent wouldn't notice. The roots of the trees came into her view, but she flew above them. 'I need some that are big enough for the serpent to go through, but small enough that he'd be delayed for a few seconds.'

Quickly, she cast a spell on her eyes, making them glow an amber color; and her sight was enhanced enough for her to see the roots up ahead. She would have to be quick for the enhancement was only temporarily.

She grinned, 'Perfect!'

Swiftly, she dove for the roots, dodging some that got in her way. She turned her body with her wings towards the ground to avoid damaging her delicate wings as she passed through some rougher and stringy root arches.

Her arms covered most of her face; the roots left some scratches on them. She winced, but continued on.

The serpent pursued her through the roots.

It surged forward suddenly with its jaws wide open. Her heart raced as she felt its scorching hot breath behind her.

'So close!'

Distracted by Sora, the serpent didn't see the smaller roots they were about to pass through. A second later, and the serpent found itself stuck in the roots. It screeched as it wiggled its way out.

As soon as Sora passed through, she hovered above the serpent. Nerves heightened, she practically screamed out her spell, pointing her wand at the roots.

"ENGORGIUM!"

The roots expanded in size, enlarging themselves around the serpent. In response, the serpent thrashed about wildly and shrieked.

The glow from her eyes died.

'That spell lasted longer than I thought it would. Or maybe I flew fast enough for me to utilize the full effects of the spell. That would explain why my wings are so burnt out!' Exhausted, Sora plopped herself on a branch.

"The creature being immobilized will give me some time to rest."

With the edge of her tunic she wiped the sweat off of her face. She watched the serpent for a bit to see if it would change shape and escape. A few seconds more and it continued its struggling.

'Well, at least now I know that it isn't a shape shifter, so it's probably not the woman I'm looking for. It could be her animal aide though.'

She knew a little bit about animal aides. While able to move about, they usually stayed within a certain distance of its master. 'So the woman must be nearby. But I don't know how much range she gives her serpent. She could be really close or still a good distance away.'

"At least I know I'm going in the right direction."

While she was happy about making progress, she realized she has another, more pressing issue at hand.

"What am I supposed to do with it now?"

Sora was dumbfounded. She knew it would lead her to the woman, but she didn't quite know how to go about it. 'I can't exactly cage it. I don't have anything that would be secure enough. It needs the freedom of movement without it being close to me…'

Some noise snapped her out of her thoughts. She looked down and saw the creature ferociously trying to claw the roots surrounding it. 'Think, think!'

Her eyes lit up. "What if I magically track it? I place some of my magic on it and then follow my own signature trail from a safe distance!" Excited, Sora stood up on the branch and fluttered close to the creature.

Just as she was about to lift her wand, she halted.

'Did I hear someone?'

She listened for a few more seconds, straining to hear above the light roaring of water close by.

'It…sounds like a warning…I think it's getting closer…'

"…away…it! GET AWAY!"

Her head snapped up in the direction of the voice. Because of the fog, she really couldn't see who it was. 'Who is that? Maybe…' She felt a small glimmer of hope rise in her, but only for a second.

A foreboding hissing had her full attention.

The creature managed to bite through most of the roots, a strange substance dripping from its mouth. As a putrid smell filled the air, her mind frantically told her, 'acidic venom!'

She fled just as the creature broke free.

TM

He was running.

Soft breaths escaped him, his hair streamed behind him like a banner of silver. He had heard the ruckus of some creature as it shrieked out. Knowing that this must be what caused the forest to still, he ran towards it. He prepared himself to pin it down with his arrows, and if in a dire situation, kill it.

What he wasn't expecting to see was a soft light on a branch.

For a moment, he stood transfixed by the sight.

It glowed and flickered like a pulse, but the way it flickered had him stymied. He squinted his eyes, trying to figure out what it was. Walking closer, he could see it a little better, but he still didn't know what it was. 'It flickers in two directions but in a pattern—in and out—like someone's waving two fans vertically…'

He stopped.

'Could it be…wings? _Her_ wings?'

He had yet to see if Sora had wings or not—he didn't know if she was indeed a fairy. 'Yes, now that I think about it, it is the color of her magic.' Her wings, while he could not see them clearly, glowed like candlelight.

The effect was beautiful with the mist surrounding them, making her light stand out even more. 'It's poetic, in a way, for her to be like a lit flame in the murky unknown.'

Her light was a guide for the lost, willing them to come home.

He tore his gaze away from her to the task at hand.

Quietly, he crept up a tree to get a better look at what kept her there. He faintly saw enormous roots and movement. 'Those are not natural.'

When he spotted the thrashing of a dark tail with red hair, he froze.

'The witch's pet!'

Immediately, he noticed that Sora was painfully close to the creature. 'Far too close!'

He dropped from his branch and took up his run again, yelling out for her to move away. "You're too close, Sora! Step back!"

The light roaring of the nearby waterfall made his voice hard to hear.

When he saw her hovering above the beast and had yet to notice that the creature was breaking free, he grew frantic. "Get away from it! GET AWAY!"

His warnings were too late.

He felt his stomach drop when he saw the creature loosen from the roots.

TM

Her wings, not having properly rested, were no longer helping her.

After almost falling to the ground for the fourth time, she shakily lifted her wand and made her wings disappear. She also returned to her petite human height.

While this made her a bigger target, she knew her small fairy sized legs wouldn't help her cover any ground. Taking a breath, she readied herself. 'I was only a few seconds ahead of the serpent. My time's up.'

She ran towards the sounds she heard earlier: the voice and the water roaring.

'My magic's pretty much spent. I can't possibly cast another enhancing spell. Maybe I can lose it in the fog.'

Sora also hoped that the voice could help or give her some suggestions. 'It has to be my companion. My gut instincts tell me so!' For who else has helped her out during this venture?

Her legs pushed her as fast as she could go.

Twigs and thorns tore at her tunic and leggings, but she pressed on. She bumped into a tree, causing her to hastily shove off of it. She was not quick enough to escape the serpent's swipe.

Its talons caught her side.

Sora gasped out in pain, her hands instinctively reaching over to cover the lacerations. She pitched forward slightly, staggering towards the large lake. Her head lifted up and her eyes widened.

Atop of a large boulder was a man.

On one knee, the man's body was poised with a bow, two arrows notched. Even with the mist, she could see that his stance and body language was brimming with confidence.

The serpent screeched, making her look back. Her turn caused her to trip. She cried out as she landed on her hurt side.

Seeing her down, the serpent lunged at her. Moving on instinct alone, she drew up her wand.

"Estoppe!"

Her pitiful amount of magic only lasted for a second, freezing the beast in midair. The opportunity was taken advantaged by the archer.

His arrows flew, pinning the creature to the tree behind it. It shrieked out in pain. One arrow went through its front arm while the other penetrated its side.

Sora looked back to the archer as he slowly stood up from his position.

His features were slightly blurry, but she could see his long ponytail trailing behind him. It was his eyes, though, that had her attention. They glinted through the fog with a rich blue color she has never seen before.

"Magnificent," she whispered.

Her head suddenly felt way too heavy, drooping down to the ground. Her vision blurred even further before she was no longer aware of herself.

As her body lay on the ground, he came over to pick her up. His eyes slowly lost their blue hue, returning to a greyish color.

At the sight of her wounded side, he brought out some linen and wrapped them around her waist. He saw her other wounds but thought it was best to first get them away from the creature. 'Those can wait for later.'

Carefully, he lifted her up, casting an icy glare in the creature's direction.

"Be glad I need you alive or else you would be dead twice over. There would have been an arrow for your darken heart and a second arrow for your miserable head."

He ran away swiftly, making sure not to jostle Sora too much.

TM

TM

TM

An: When I first came up with this in my mind, it was going to be a 'one shot.' Then, as I typed it, new scenes popped in my head and it grew. A 'one shot'…Hah!


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Now for a little down time, with some talking and connecting. :D

TM

TM

TM

Sora was floating.

Her body felt light—lighter than even her small fairy form—and comfortably warm. It was a strange feeling, but one she didn't want to go away.

A jostle brought her away from her thoughts.

Her tired eyes opened a crack, her sight still blurry. A person was looking to the side of her.

She felt her body being lowered; she shivered slightly, the warmth from earlier gone. When her body was settled, her hands found fur.

Grey eyes made contact with hers.

"Rest," his voice said softly, with a bit of a rumble to it.

She liked the sound.

His hand gently brushed over her eyes, making the lids close. The warmth from his hand made her sleepy and she decided to follow his "suggestion."

'Commanding little troll,' she thought with some affection before she blacked out again.

TM

The next time she awoke it was nighttime.

She felt the heat of a fire and the weight of some sort of blanket. 'Fur,' her mind supplied.

Her eyes were greeted by a bonfire. She blankly stared at the flames for a while as her mind took in the state of her body. 'Oooww…'

Slowly, her hand felt her bandaged side. She did notice a few bandages on her legs and hands, and felt the ache of her back from straining her wings, but the bulk of her pain was on her left side. Her body was propped at an angle so that most of her weight was supported on her right side. 'That's a lot of bandages. I don't think I've ever been this badly hurt.'

Movement by the trees caught her eye.

The archer came into their campsite with two skinned rabbits in one hand and their pelts in another.

She blanched.

'That's not how I like to see my dinner, which is why I avoided meat on this journey.' She didn't have the stomach to kill or skin her meal.

Most fairies don't eat meat. Fish, yes, but meats like rabbit, deer, pheasants, and sometimes peacock, not really. Sora enjoyed the occasional duck, but she always saw the finished meal, not the pre-cooked raw meat. 'Castle life has spoiled me, I suppose.'

"You're awake."

Sora looked up at his face.

He sat down near the fire, grabbing a few sticks. "You have some lacerations on your side. It's best if you don't move too much. I'll have some food ready." With a hunting knife, he cut some of the rabbit meat into smaller pieces and pierced them through a skewer.

The thought of food made her realize how hungry she was. 'Exactly how long have I been out?' She opened her mouth to speak, but it came out as a croak. Clearing her throat, she tried again.

"How long…,"she swallowed, "Have I been asleep?"

He paused for a moment. "This is the second night." And then he continued with dinner.

Her mouth felt dry. 'I thought this was the same day!' She shook her head. 'I must have really tired myself out.'

"Could I have some water?" Her voice wasn't the smoothest sound, but she needed some liquid.

Finishing with his task, the archer wiped his hands. Standing up, he made his way around the fire to a clay teapot. Sora watched, interested. 'I didn't notice that!' He poured some hot water into an earthen mug and made his way over.

Kneeling before her, he set the mug aside momentarily to adjust Sora into a sitting position. She grimaced at the discomfort before she relaxed again.

Grabbing the mug he brought it to her lips, "Drink it slowly."

A bit flushed from the fact that she was being nursed, she gave a small nod. Some of the drink dribbled down her chin. 'Gack! Too fast!'

He eased the angle of the cup, slowing the flow.

"My apologizes."

Her eyes narrowed at the amusement she heard in his tone. 'Still a sadistic troll, I see?'

"I saw that," he smirked, revealing some teeth.

Her cheeks reddened. 'Forget about being a troll. You're a full on mischievous pixie! I might as well call you "Puck"!'

His smirk widened at the sight of her blush. 'What a delightful color on you.' He pulled the cup back.

"The herbs in this drink have healing properties. It's best to drink it often."

"Alright, but I can finish it on my own."

He acquiesced, putting the cup down beside her. "Suit yourself."

Turning back to the fire, he checked on the meat.

Sora took this time to wipe her chin with her sleeve only to find that she lacked a sleeve. Confused, she peeled the blanket back to look down at herself.

Her tunic was missing.

With an "Eep!," she hastily covered herself with the blanket—pulling it up to her chin. 'I'm in my sleeveless under-tunic!'

Unfortunately, she dragged the blankets too far up, leaving half of her calves exposed. Her bare toes wiggled at her.

She openly gaped.

"Where are my leggings!" her throat stung a little from shrieking, but she couldn't help her shock.

Granted, before living in the castle she was used to showing her legs.

Fairy outfits are not nearly as conservative as human outfits—some fairies don't even wear clothes. However, over the months as she trained to be a fairy aide she grew accustomed to the decorum of castle life.

Some aspects of fairy life, such as having her hair loose, she tried to get away with once in a while, but showing leg…that was a huge rule breaker in castle life.

She would know—she kept breaking that one in her earlier days in the castle.

The long skirts were the hardest to adjust to.

Sora hated how restricting they were. She couldn't walk fast in them, run, climb staircases and ladders…most of the time she grew tired of dealing with it and simply hitched up her skirts. While temporarily lifting up the skirts to step is allowed, Sora's method most definitely was not allowed.

After embarrassing Ken one time too many and getting the scolding of a lifetime from her mentor, Sora decided she needed to discipline herself. She actively trained herself to not lift her skirts so high.

It was ingrained in her now.

Sora attempted to push the blanket back down.

The archer had seen her reactions to her lack of clothing state. 'This girl is too diverting.' He chuckled under his breath. 'It's curious that a fairy would be so concerned about coverage.'

Deciding to offer her some help before she re-opened discipline herselfe temporarily lifting up the skirts to step are alloher wounds, he came over. He took the blanket from her hands and re-laid it over her body.

"Is that better?"

Sora stiffly nodded before she narrowed her eyes at him. "Where are my tunic and leggings?"

He walked over to the fire. "They're still here. I had to remove them to clean your injuries." He came back to Sora with some rabbit skewers.

"I wouldn't recommend putting them on just yet. The bandages on your legs are a bit thick for your leggings." Passing one of the sticks to Sora, he continued, "While you could wear your over-tunic without the sash, you may irritate your side wounds and arms with so much heat. You already have an under shirt and bandages on."

He sat on Sora's right side and made himself comfortable.

"But I'm under a fur blanket!"

"Yes, as the nights are cold. However, the days are still on the warm side," after saying that, he began to eat.

Sora pouted.

'I guess my under-tunic is long enough. Hopefully it won't be like this for too long.'

"Back to the fairy days…" she murmured wistfully. She took a bite and chewed slowly.

The archer looked in her direction.

Catching his stare, Sora panicked. "Oh! Uh, don't mind me! Go ahead and eat!"

Something flitted through his eyes.

"Do you not want me to know that you are a fairy?" he paused, and then continued a little slower, "I don't see the harm, seeing as you already told me your name, Sora."

Sora's eyes widened triumphantly, "I knew it was you! It had to be you!"

Her happiness rose to incredible heights before it abated, slowly sinking back down. Her face lost its glow.

"You left me," she accused.

He didn't miss the hurt in her voice.

"Yes."

"Why?"

He looked away to collect his thoughts. She forced herself to give him the time to do so.

"I…misunderstood something you said. I _believe_ I am mistaken," his gaze watched the fire.

Curious, Sora leaned forward.

"Something …I said? What did I say?"

He stayed silent.

Drawing a breath, he turned to her. "Sora, why are you in this forest?"

Not expecting that question, Sora bit her lip, wondering how much she could say.

She could tell him anything he wanted to know about her, but when it comes to the lives of the royal family, some discretion is required. 'As far as the kingdom knows Princess Layla is sick, not cursed.' That was one of the things she heard her mentor say to the head of the guards before she left.

"A very close friend of mine needs my help. The person who's responsible for her troubles is in these woods. I know that the person is a woman, most likely with an animal aide."

He nodded absentmindedly, "Is your friend named Layla?"

At her startled look, he spoke again, "I overheard you say that name a few times."

Sora settled down.

He took another bite of his rabbit. 'I can't approach this too fast.'

As he ate, Sora looked at him inquisitively. 'I didn't really notice before, but his tunic…it's not the style from this kingdom.'

It was a dark grey tunic, with ties instead of toggles or precious stones at the top. The collar wasn't high up, though the high collars were worn more around wintertime. He wore a leather belt with small pouches near the back instead of a cloth sash of some sort. 'But that could be because he's out in the forest and not in town.'

Her eyes caught the shimmer of something at the edge of his tunic. She unconsciously bent down to see what it was.

His hand brought the end of his tunic closer to her.

Silver vines curled along the border of the tunic; striking leaves were artfully placed along the vines. Sora gently traced a few of them.

His soft voice drifted to her ears, "My sister embroidered this to my tunic."

Sora smiled. "Did she now? It's beautifully done."

His lips twitched upward, "She claimed it should be the symbol of our family, hence the attention to detail."

"I noticed. She even did the veins of the leaves!" Her nose scrunched up, "I don't have the patience to do needlework like this!"

He chuckled.

Sora looked up and her smile grew at the sight he made.

His grey eyes held mirth in them, the firelight revealing its depths in the dark. The fire glowed on his long silver hair with his ponytail flowing over his front. The strands gleamed like sunlight on a river.

A few strands fell near her hand tracing the embroidered leaves. Her fingers moved towards them. Idly, she let the cool strands slide across her fingers. 'The embroidery string matches his hair.'

She quickly withdrew her hand when she felt his gaze.

Flustered and inwardly berating herself, she attempted to focus his attention on something else.

"So, what brings you to this forest, er…uh…"

"Leon," he supplied.

"Ah, yes! That's right! I never did ask you, did I? Haha!," she nervously twisted the fur blanket.

"I don't think I've heard that name before, but I like how it sounds," she gave a shy smile, some pink touching her cheeks.

Warmth spread from inside him at the sight.

Sora grabbed her mug and took a few more sips of the herbal tea. He leaned back some more, figuring that getting as comfortable as he could will help. 'Here it goes…'

"You've probably not heard of it because I'm not from this kingdom. I, too, search for a woman in this forest. Though, I know her to be a witch with an animal aide."

Sora gasped.

"A witch? So that serpent creature is her aide!"

"Yes, a witch. The serpent is actually a lower land dragon from the East, the same place where the witch comes from."

Her eyes stayed on Leon. 'Wait…'

"How…how do you know where she's from?"

His eyes looked straight at her.

"She is an acquaintance."


	9. Chapter 9

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She felt the blood leaving her face.

"An acquaintance? Wha—what do you mean by that?"

Leon's face grew solemn.

"I mean that I have met her before, gave her room and board, fed her, talked with her, and got to know her."

Sora's heart squeezed with a foreign emotion, but she mentally pushed it aside. There was a more pressing issue that came with Leon's connection.

'Does he have something to do with Layla's curse?' She felt sick at the thought.

She inched away from him; doubt clouding her mind.

Leon saw her retreat.

Calmly reaching a hand over, he held her arm—mindful of her bandages—and stopped her from retreating any further.

"Will you allow me to elaborate on the circumstances of our meeting?"

Her wide cinnamon eyes met his with some apprehension and a desire for him to ease her mind. He took this as an assent; he relaxed his grip, but didn't pull away from her.

"My sister Sophie and I met the witch this past winter. We have a routine of hunting and gathering food and water to store for the cold season. This year wasn't any different."

At the mention of food he asked Sora if she wanted more. At her nod, he left. The heat from his hand lingered on her arm.

Once he brought over another skewer he continued,

"Our home is actually in a forest like the one we are currently in. We live in a cottage with an upper and lower level, though Sophie and I mainly stay on the ground floor."

He took a drink from his own earthen mug, taking comfort from the heat of the tea.

"One day, I went out to hunt. Sophie stayed around the cottage, picking from the berry bushes we planted seasons ago. I do not recall how long I had been gone, but when I returned from the hunt, Sophie met me outside of the cottage. She kept her voice low and informed me that a young woman stumbled upon the cottage, weary and hungry. We've had our fair share of hardships, so Sophie couldn't help but invite her inside."

Leon sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"I thought it strange that someone would be so far into the forest to have 'stumbled' upon our place, but I could not bring myself to kick her out, especially after I saw the state she was in."

Sora hesitantly placed a hand on his arm. "You saw someone in need and helped out. There is nothing wrong with that."

He looked at her for a moment before he turned his head away.

"I have not finished."

Sora stayed silent.

Taking a few seconds to decide what to say, he started up again, "She stayed with us for almost a week. Sophie and I fed her and made sure she drank enough fluids. When she felt better, she joined us at our small table for meals. During these times, I learned that she came from the East, having been kicked out of her home country for issues she did not state."

Lost in thought, he revealed, "I admit to being somewhat interested in her. I wondered where she came from, for her looks were of a striking type."

When he saw Sora fist the blanket during the part he mentioned his interest, his mind told him he should clarify. His hand covered a clenched fist, "My interest was not in the romantic sense."

Her hand loosened its hold of the blanket.

Leon noted that Sora's mug was empty. "It looks like we both need a refill." Sora lifted her mug into his hand.

Their fingers brushed briefly, causing her to blush. 'First his hand around my fist earlier, and now this…' She looked up to apologize, but choked on the words when she saw Leon's penetrating eyes.

She ducked her head, apology forgotten.

He came back shortly. This time she watched her fingers, hoping to not go through that again, when Leon's fingers purposively brushed against hers.

She stuttered out nonsense, feeling her face heat up to dangerous temperatures.

'Leon, thy name is Puck!'

"Sora, are you alright? Your face seems a bit flushed," his voice was deep and playful. She avoided meeting his eyes, silently fuming in embarrassment. 'You impish pixie!'

"Fine, just fine! You can continue your story!"

He lifted an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth tilting up, "Is that so? Well then, I mustn't disappoint."

Leon's face fell into a subdued mask.

"When she left, we gave her some food. Honestly, I thought that was the last we would see of her. But after a week or so, I thought I caught glimpses of her every so often, out in the snow. Sophie hadn't seen her, so I dismissed what I saw as illusions. After winter, however, Sophie ended up finding her. Repeatedly."

"So many times…why?"

"Why indeed…"

Sora's face grew concerned. "You don't know?"

He shrugged. "When Sophie finally told me that she saw her, everything was…chaotic. I was in town when she met her. Shortly after telling me, the witch cast a curse on her."

Leon's eyes held sadness in them, but when he heard Sora gasp he snapped out of it—his eyes were blank. He sipped from his mug.

Her face and voice were sympathetic. "How terrible, for her to do such a thing—even after all the help you two gave her! Surely, there was no cause for this!"

He stayed quiet.

Sora's eyes examined his face. 'He's leaving something out…I can feel it…' His grey eyes glanced at Sora over the rim of his cup, considering. 'What are you thinking?'

"Your friend is cursed, isn't she?" His question was more of a statement.

She took a sharp breath.

"The witch is the same woman we are looking for, I'm positive of that fact. She tends to delight in causing trouble; it's almost a hobby of hers, really."

Sora swallowed, "Yes, she is cursed."

"Did she know the witch before the curse? Upset her in some way or other?"

"No, she had met the witch in the woods. She had been horseback riding and happened upon her during the ride, as far as I know. I'm not sure if they had a fight of sorts."

Leon processed the information.

"I'm surprised she went riding by herself in the woods."

She tried to remain calm. "Well, Layla loves riding. She takes whatever chance she can get."

"Hm."

Something about Sora's countenance was off.

'She seems a little tense.' Back stiff, eyes lowered, and her hands were fisting the blankets again. 'It's definitely something. But what?' He quickly reviewed what was said. 'She didn't really respond to my statement about Layla riding by herself. It was neither confirmed nor corrected.'

His grey gaze was steadfastly focused on her own brown orbs. They widened slightly, startled.

"Didshe ride alone?"

Her face paled.

She had lucked out that Leon didn't recognize Layla's name as the Princess of these lands. But Yuri's name…She wasn't sure if she was willing to tell him two royals' names, especially since they were involved in a secretive situation. 'What are the odds that he'll not recognize both of their names? The combination of the two names might trigger his memory.'

The risks and consequences were high.

"I-I was nearby."

"But were you in the forest _with_ her?"

"Why does it matter? I was…in the area."

"It makes all the difference."

Her head turned away from him. Resolved to get to the bottom of this, he got up and leaned over her, his hands resting on the fallen log that propped her.

Leon's presence brought her head back to him.

His broad shoulders were both impressive and intimidating. She couldn't help the blush that overcame her cheeks at his proximity, nor could she stop herself from shrinking down. His eyes stayed on her.

"Sora, what are you withholding?"

Her eyes darted away.

His hand gripped her chin, bringing her face closer to his. If she thought he was close earlier, this far outstripped the meaning of someone being "in your face."

She found herself momentarily distracted by his irises. 'They're not solid grey.'

Coming from around the pupils, tendrils of a rich blue branched out, invading the grey. It was like finding veins of gold in a mountainside. 'Astonishing.'

His eyebrow quirked at her silence.

She snapped back into focus, his brow's action suddenly making her feel very vexed. She pushed his arm away, causing him to release her chin.

"What am _I_ withholding? What are _you _withholding?! First, you follow me around—without showing your presence—then you _leave_ without so much as a good-bye, then you have the _gall _to say that something that _I_ said was the cause of _your_ absence—making it seem like it was _my_ fault!—and then you don't say what it was that I said!"

He opened his mouth to retort, but she interrupted him, adding, "And I know you left out some details in your story! Don't try to deny it! I may be careless and have my head up in the clouds at times, but I'm not an idiot!"

Leon frowned. "I have told you the relevant details."

Her mouth tightened. "What do you know about 'relevant details'? You're still refusing to tell me what it was that scared you enough to run away from me!"

"I did not run away," he clipped in a tight voice.

She sat up straighter, putting herself face to face with Leon.

"You ran and I know that deep down, you agree with me. You didn't correct me when I said you were scared," her eyes glowed like embers—searing him, yet drawing him in.

Her voice was above a whisper, "What was it that you were afraid of?"

His eyes took her in, reading the longing to know that was so vividly shining in her honeyed eyes. Lips parted as if to speak, but then they abruptly clamped down together.

She saw his form become rigid. Alarmed, she asked what was wrong.

His voice was quiet, "Something's watching us."

Her eyes widened, and then closed in concentration. Almost immediately she sensed a dark power, slithering around her and stealing the breath from her. 'It's familiar…I know this feeling!'

Her eyes opened and she took in a deep breath, as if having emerged from being underwater.

She drew close to his ear, her hand grabbing his arm to help her pull up, and whispered frantically, "It's the woman, the one who cursed Layla!"

He followed her example and leaned down to speak in a low voice, "Then it's the witch. I'm going to grab my bow by the fire. Where is your wand?"

"It's in my pack."

"Alright, I will bring it. Thankfully, it is by my bow. Stay here and be calm."

Sora gave a small nod. "Be quick! She's agitated!" She felt a chill slither up her spine, making her add in, "And be careful!"

He looked at her briefly before he withdrew, drawing up to his full height.

Nonchalantly, he made his way over to the fire, taking his time. Sora leaned back in false ease, silently fretting at Leon's pace. 'It's too slow. I know he's trying to not let the woman—the witch—know that we are aware of her presence, but I can feel her threatening magic. It's practically coming out of her!"

Her hands twitched.

Wanting a distraction, she grabbed her mug.

Just as he was about to grab his bow, something shot out of the trees at an incredibly fast speed.

Giving up the ruse, Sora cried out, "Leon! From the left!"

Quickly, he grabbed both the bow and the bag's strap, but as he reached for an arrow the creature from the trees coiled around his body and lifted him into the air, preventing him from reaching his ammo.

Before his arms were trapped, Leon hastily threw Sora's bag in her direction. Unfortunately, it did not reach her, landing a few feet away from her.

The witch's serpent dangerously flashed its fangs in his face.

"Leon!"

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AN: I'm curious if people know who the witch is…I left some hints here and there. :P


	10. Chapter 10

Dread set into the pit of her stomach.

Leon was trapped in the serpent's crushing hold, his arms pinned to his sides. His bow lay on the ground and Sora's bag was a few feet away from her.

"Leon!"

She pushed the blanket off and started to drag herself to her bag. Her side burned, but she didn't let it stop her. 'If I can get my wand, I can help!'

High shrill laughter filled the air.

Sora stopped, looking around the woods for the witch.

A dark figure emerged from the shadows. She had long, twin pigtails trailing behind her like a cape. Her hair was an intriguing navy color with lighter blue highlights. Her skin was fair which was contrasted beautifully with her long dark purple tunic—intricate black designs swirled all over her waist and the edges. As she stepped, her slim legs showed, covered in black leggings and boots. The fire revealed her electric blue eyes, surrounded by thick lashes and her bangs.

All in all, she was a beauty.

After seeing the witch, Sora couldn't blame Leon for his interest, yet at the same time she felt that foreign emotion clenching her heart again. It made her feel inadequate and strangely motivated—to do what, she did not know.

The witch stopped in front of the struggling Leon, her hands on her hips.

"Leon, what a pleasant surprise! It's really been too long."

"Not long enough," he rumbled out.

The witch's smile dropped, but then quickly came back.

"You know, we could have met sooner if it weren't for that _protective_ charm you stubbornly _insist_ on having." She practically spat out "protective" like it was something foul.

"You also played a little too roughly with my pet a few days ago." At her words, the serpent tightened its hold. Leon's breath rushed out of him.

She petted her serpent to calm it—it eased its grip slightly.

"Shame on you, Leon, for being so callous…but it wasn't anything I couldn't fix. It just prevented me from tracking you two earlier."

"Thankfully your…_companion_ over there," she gestured to Sora with a dismissive flick of her hand, "doesn't know how to properly cloak her signature. It was pathetically easy to follow it, despite the small amount that was present."

Sora froze.

'That's right, when I stopped the serpent from attacking me, I used magic on it.' While she had originally planned to use magic on the creature for her to trace, she planned to make it hard for other magic users to trace it back to her.

It would have given her time to search for the witch.

But in the heat of the fight, she abandoned that plan. 'How could I have been so careless?! You stupid gnome!'

The witch took a moment to scrutinize Sora.

"Interesting hair color, I'll admit it, but definitely not someone for you, Leon. Her magic's a nauseating yellow; it makes my eyes hurt. She's even crawling around in the dirt! How pathetic!"

Sora's face grew red in anger and embarrassment.

The witch stepped closer to Leon. She gestured and the serpent brought Leon down to its master. "You know my offer still stands, Leon," her voice was a deceptively soft sound and she reached out a hand to cup his face.

He jerked his head out of her reach.

His eyes narrowed, "And you know my answer is unchanged."

Her face twisted in a scowl.

"Why are you resisting? We got along so well, surely even you saw that!"

He tilted his head in a haughty manner, "Are you so sure of what you saw, or was it merely a meager fantasy you conjured in your mind?"

Anger flashed across her face before it disappeared. A smug look came upon her, "If I am mistaken, then why do you track my pet? Obviously, you want to see me. You enjoy chasing me, I know you do."

She drew herself up to him so that she could whisper into his ear—the same manner Sora and Leon did just moments before, "Why else would you go through several kingdoms and forests to find me?"

As she spoke, Leon made quick eye contact with Sora.

Grey orbs darted to her pack. She caught his message and continued to slowly inch to her bag.

She felt her under-tunic shift to uncover her legs indecently. She flushed momentarily before she deemed that worry as unimportant. 'Forget about etiquette and propriety! Our lives depend on my magic!'

Her hands grasped the strap and she pulled it towards her. 'Finally!'

As Sora opened her bag, Leon turned his attention back to the witch. "You have never been my priority."

The witch's breath grazed his ear uncomfortably. "Then what are you here for?"

His eyes regarded her in a chilling manner, "Don't play the fool."

Her eyes glittered, "Hmm. So you need me." She attempted to run a hand through his ponytail.

Leon's eyes glinted dangerously, stopping her.

"What is the cure?"

She laughed, "While I'm flattered that you've acknowledged that you _do_ need me, you're hardly in the position to be _demanding_ things of me, Leon!"

As soon as those words came out, a burst of yellow magic slammed into her, pushing her away from him. The witch shrieked out in surprise.

Sora stood, shakily, with her wand raised. Her honey eyes gleamed with determination.

Quickly, she cast a spell on the witch, immobilizing her on the ground. The serpent angrily hissed and twisted its coil.

Leon grunted, gritting his teeth at the pain.

He was having a hard enough time breathing, but now he couldn't see himself lasting much longer. Spots danced into his vision. He attempted to fight the numbing call of the darkness.

Sora was on it.

She raised her wand in the witch's direction as she shouted firmly at the serpent, "Let him go right _now_! Or else I'll cast another spell on your mistress, this one more _fatal_!"

The serpent's slitted eyes regarded her, then—after giving one more agonizing squeeze—it released Leon.

He limply fell onto ground.

The serpent moved for its mistress. Sora kept an eye on it as she made her way to Leon.

She fell onto her knees, wincing at the jarring landing. Sora gently shook his shoulder, "Leon! Are you awake? Oh, please be alright!"

He let out a groan, but stayed down.

Relieved at the sound, Sora looked up at the witch.

The witch's eyes glared daggers at her.

"I have a bone to pick with you as well. I'm going to let you talk, but it better be to answer me, and nothing else. If I catch even a wisp of a spell or an attacking gesture for your pet, I'll cast a spell on you and it won't be a pretty one."

Secretly, Sora wove a barrier around Leon and herself. 'Just in case.' Once she saw acceptance—a reluctant one—in her eyes, Sora allowed movement of the witch's mouth. She kept her wand at the ready.

The witch flexed her jaw, getting rid of its stiffness.

"Arg. Who knew fairies had an ugly side? Or maybe you're really a hobgoblin in disguise."

Perplexed, Sora couldn't help but ask, "How did you know I was a fairy?"

"I wasn't positive, but you just confirmed it," she gave a sneer, "though, what else would have such wimpy levels of magic?"

Sora glared, "I have enough to entrap you!"

The witch grimaced at that.

"Just ask me your stupid questions already! Though, I can't truthfully say that I'll be inclined to answer all of them."

Taking a breath, Sora watched her wording, "How does one lift a sleeping curse?"

"A sleeping curse? Who is it?"

"You don't remember who you curse?"

The witch shrugged—at least tried to since her body was still frozen, "What can I say; I'm a very busy witch. Who has time to remember every single person they curse?"

Sora glared at her heartlessness. "Then you don't need to know who."

Bored, the witch sighed, "Tell me the effects."

Sora told her about the hibernated state the person was in and how the curse was shaped.

"Mmm…" the witch looked as if she just tasted something delicious, "yes, that one. It's one of my favorites! I made it up myself, you know."

"So what's the cure?"

The witch's eyes twinkled with a wicked gleam. "It's my own personal curse. I'm not about to hand over the way to destroy it!"

Exasperated, Sora threw her hands up, "Then tell me a riddle, a hint, something that will help!"

"A hint, huh?" She hummed in thought, "I suppose, I could say that, if I were you—which I most fortunately am not!—I would focus on the nature of the curse."

"Its nature? What's that supposed to mean?"

"I meant what I said!" Her voice coolly informed her, "That's actually a lot, if you ask me. It's not my fault you're too stupid and thickheaded to figure it out."

Sora pursed her lips, 'I guess that's all I'll be getting from her about Layla's curse.'

Deciding to take advantage of the opportunity—and curious to know—Sora asked about the other victim of the witch's curses, "How do we lift the curse on Sophie?"

"Oh ho! He told you about her, now did he? Ever the dutiful brother, always watching out for _little_ Sophie," the witch looked displeased at that. "Well, I have nothing else to say about that one," she sniffed, "I've already told him what he needs for _that_ curse."

The witch's smug smile returned, "And yet he still follows me, pretending that it's because of the curse. But I know the truth. He's coming around."

Peeved, Sora frowned, "Didn't he just tell you that he _wasn't_ following you because he wants to be near you?"

"I don't expect a little fairy to understand the ways of men, especially males like _Leon_," the witch let out a wicked smirk, "Hunters like him, they enjoy a little _chasing_ and _teasing_. It makes it all the more _thrilling_."

Sora's mind zeroed in on the word, "_teasing_."

The witch's words brought quick snapshot memories of Leon smirking as he nursed her, his fingers brushing against hers, him touching her briefly on the hand and arms, and his clear delight at making her blush.

'Was…was Leon…_flirting_ with me?!'

Her face turned a bright red at the revelation.

Bringing the conversation back to the previous topic, Sora asked, "S-so you told him what to do? What is it? What does he need?"

Coyly, the witch's mouth curled, "I suppose I should be more careful with my words. It's not a 'what,' but a 'who.'"

The witch, upon seeing Sora's dumbfounded face, continued on, "It's a person Sophie has met, one whom she grew…attached to."

"Is it Leon?"

The witch huffed, "Of course not!"

Face red in anger, Sora practically yelled at her, "Enough with beating around the bush, who is it?!"

Her lips curled cruelly.

"Why, Prince Yuri, of course."

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AN: Ah, the drama and suspense!

I want to give a shout out to **layalatania **for the reviews! I'm glad you like the story, despite the evil cliffhangers!

I will address the blue eyes issue. I just didn't think it would be realistic for Sora to ask about every single thing and for Leon to answer every single thing. Plus, she blacked out soon after seeing the blue eyes. Not a thought at the forefront of her mind.


	11. Chapter 11

AN: Another chapter of drama and bonding. :3 Though, I did put this under "drama," along with "fantasy."

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Leon's head thudded all too loudly.

When he felt Sora shake his shoulder, he attempted to say something along the lines of "I'm fine," but all he got out was a groan. Soon, he felt comforting warmth surrounding him, protecting him.

'Sora's magic,' he vaguely noted.

It surely wasn't the witch's.

Leon was just a toy for her, he knew—the witch had even told him so. If he broke, she'd just go on to the next unfortunate soul. Sadly, he just couldn't fathom why she persisted with him.

'I think I have an idea why she was kicked out of her home country.'

He took another breath in, his lungs expanding with a twinge. 'Insufferable dragon. I should have killed it when I had the chance.'

He must have blanked out for a few moments, for when he was somewhat aware of his surroundings, Sora and the witch were yelling at each other.

Distractedly, he noticed the state Sora was in, what with her muddy legs and dirty under-tunic. Some red was seeping into the tunic, which made him worried. 'She agitated her wounds.'

Leon's shaky gaze traveled up. Her face was flushed and a light sheen of sweat shined on her skin, making its tanned color look appealing to him. He shook his head slightly, trying to clear it. 'That thought was really not appropriate for this dire situation.'

Leon's head cleared some more—it was enough for him to notice the suddenly tense silence.

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Sora's face lost some color. 'Attached to…Yuri? What about Layla? Was it before they met?'

"Y-Yuri? When did he meet with Sophie?"

The witch watched Sora intently, her gaze filled with a slight unstableness to it.

"'Yuri,' you say? What's this, no title in front of his name? Such a _bold_ move for a little fairy, to refer to her betters' names without the proper respect."

Sora's eyes widened at her blunder.

"Yes," the witch hissed out, spotting something she can exploit, "what boldness…it almost suggests a certain amount of, what do you call it…ah yes," she paused for a bit too long, "_intimacy_."

"What?! N-No!"

"And of course you try to deny it! Hahaha! I can't imagine what Leon would think if he heard that yet another _harmless_, _little_ fairy he knows is _involved_ with Prince Yuri! What delicious _fury_ would overcome his countenance!"

The witch's eyes momentarily looked away from Sora before she brought her gaze back to the fairy, malicious glee evident in her face.

"Then again, I may not have to imagine at all."

In the corner of her eye, Sora caught movement. She froze, knowing that it could be only one person—Leon.

'He heard us! I thought he was out!'

Distraught, she gripped her knees in order to anchor her for the storm that was to come. She knew that she would need to face him, but she couldn't bear the thought of seeing disgust on his face.

Gathering her courage, she turned her head to look at him. Leon was steadying himself onto his knees, fingers digging into the soft earth beneath him.

When Sora found his gaze, she willed her eyes to convey her thoughts, begging him to understand that she wasn't involved with Yuri in the manner the witch made it out to be.

His eyes were like a stone wall, and behind that wall was a terrible flood threatening to come through.

Leon barely felt the old feelings of betrayal. 'I already know of the Prince and Sora being connected somehow.' There was a flicker of some dark, burning emotion at the thought of the two being…friendly acquaintances, close confidantes, in courtship...That was the main feeling hidden in his eyes.

When Sora's pleading eyes met his, the wall quivered.

Leon held her gaze, softening his stone eyes for a moment. Sora was about to speak when he shook his head subtly. 'Not right now.'

She bit her lower lip, not saying a word.

Satisfied that Sora got his message, Leon began his own interrogation, "I think I would like to know _another_ way to end the curse."

The witch frowned, deeply disappointed by the lack of yelling and physical harm she envisioned Leon dealing out to Sora.

"It doesn't bother you that _she_," she tried to gesture with her hand, forgetting that she was under a stillness spell, but the lack of motion didn't deter her from continuing, "actually _knows_ Prince Yuri when _I_ had only _seen_ him a few times?! You were rage incarnate when you found out!"

Leon's eyes alit with fury, "Spare me your tales, witch. I know you set up Sophie. How else would she have met Prince Yuri so many times, if not for _your_ intervention?"

"She should have thanked me for giving her the _chance_ to be with _royalty_!"

"Royalty," Leon repeated with a look that twisted his features.

She ignored his reaction, her lips pursed in thought, "The plan would have worked. How was I to know that Prince Yuri wouldn't stay with your sister?" She gave an exaggerated sigh, "Men. Never can tell what they'll do. You throw them a bone and they bury it without chewing it."

"My _sister_ is not an object at your petty disposal."

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While the witch missed Leon's reaction to "royalty," Sora did not.

'What made him contort his face so? And what was the witch hoping to achieve by setting Sophie up with Yuri—and cursing her, for that matter. It only made Leon even angrier at her!'

Her mind paused on a side thought.

Impulsively, Sora asked, "What _is_ your name? It can't just be 'witch.'"

At the sound of her voice, the two looked at Sora, one in baffled amusement and the other in indignation.

"What kind of an idiot gives their name to a stranger?! Don't you know the power a magical being can have on you if you tell them your name?! I'm unstable, and even _I_ know better than to tell someone my name! You're dumber than I thought you were!"

Incensed, Sora retorted, "I just thought you'd be tired of everyone calling you a witch all the time! Sorry for trying to be considerate, even to a mean old gremlin like you!"

They went back and forth, yelling at each other and finding faults with every little thing.

Leon's voice broke through the bickering, "May Wong."

Sora turned to look at him, missing the appalled look on the witch's face, "What did you say?"

With an up tilt of his mouth, he restated, "May Wong. That is the witch's name."

"Leon!" May shouted in dismay, "How could you?!"

"Easily. You have been pestering me…though perhaps, 'pestering' doesn't convey my mood properly." His eyes narrowed.

The air thickened uncomfortably.

May glowered, her irises bleeding a dark purple, "That was the wrong thing to do, Leon."

The serpent, which had been watching his mistress this entire time, picked up on her rage.

Responding to it, it lunged out towards Leon and Sora with its claws and fangs out.

Fear moving her, Sora threw herself over Leon—he had leaned back in order to avoid the serpent's attack. Her arms wrapped around his waist and her head buried itself into his hair.

The serpent crashed into an invisible force, causing a glimmering of yellow magic to appear around the two.

After waiting a few more seconds, Sora lifted her head to see her barrier in place—there were a few thinned out places from the serpent's talons and fangs, but it stayed up. She relaxed. 'Good. My barrier withheld the attack.'

Though, she did notice that May and the serpent were long gone. Shimmering dark purple magic from a spell was the only thing they left behind.

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Leon stayed motionless.

He was still a bit shocked that she jumped at him like that. 'She was protecting me, yet again. Once, with her magic, and then again with her own body.'

Leon had mixed feelings about the situation.

The masculine part of his mind was upset that he failed to do something to protect Sora, yet the rest of him was touched by the gesture. 'Even though we argued and still haven't resolved much, she's willing to put those aside and worry about me.' Just earlier, _he_ had worried about _her_ as well.

'There is something here between the two of us that is not to be ignored.'

His arms wrapped themselves around her in a loose embrace at that thought.

He felt Sora stiffen temporarily before she leaned into his chest. She timidly rested her head beneath his chin, closing her eyes in contentment. Leon's hands slowly ran down her back.

He peered down to catch a glimpse of her face. 'There's a faint pink in her cheeks.'

Leon smiled and did the motion again, this time going up her back. Her cheeks darkened in color, her mouth pursed in embarrassment. She hid her face in his shoulder. 'Simply lovely.'

Seeing as she did not stop him, Leon continued.

Soon, his hands found new territory along her sides. She flinched a little bit. Thinking that she was ticklish, he ran his hand over the same area, expecting a playful smack to his hands or some kind of giggle.

What he got was an abrupt withdrawal from his hands and a small whimper.

He frowned at the action until he noticed that his right fingers were slightly wet. His eyes widened in alarm.

'Her injuries!'

Quickly, he pulled away to get a better look at her. The blood had seeped through the bandages and was staining her under-tunic. Leon reproached himself for forgetting that she had agitated her wounds.

"Sora, forgive me."

She gave a tired smile, the adrenaline from earlier wearing off, "It's alright. I should have told you."

He hooked one arm under her knees and the other around her shoulders. "I should have remembered. I'll need to check on your injuries."

She nodded, her head falling along his arm.

TM

They sat by the fire, Leon applying an herbal mixture to her side wounds.

Earlier, Leon gave Sora another cloth and warm water to clean herself. He gave her privacy, which she was thankful for. While she couldn't get completely clean, she did manage to get most of the dirt off from crawling around. Unfortunately, her under-tunic would need to be washed and mended.

Along with the wash cloth was a light grey under-tunic, one of Leon's. She was grateful for the loan, although it did drape on her loosely and covered her legs more. 'Leon is a tall man, after all.'

Currently, she had the left side of the tunic pulled up for Leon to treat the lacerations. She understood the need to do so and knew that he was trying to make this as uncomfortable as possible, but she couldn't help the blush that was permanently painted on her face.

The fur blanket from before covered her lower half, as the tunic was raised up; and while it was raised in a way that her chest was still covered, she felt very exposed. Her middle was in Leon's sights and that was more than what she has shown any male.

Ken only saw below her knees when she would hitch up her skirts around the castle—even then, she had been used to having her legs and arms uncovered from pre-castle days.

Her tummy, on the other hand, never.

'It sounds ridiculous, but it just seems so strange! If you think about it, the middle is a huge expanse of skin and flesh. It's where your ribcage is protecting so much, like your stomach, your lungs, your heart…it's a very vulnerable area to leave open.'

She bit back a squeak when she felt the side of his palm graze her side.

"I just need to wrap the cuts. Could you lift the right side up as well? I will be quick."

She nodded her head fervently, not trusting her voice at the moment.

True to his word, he finished rather quickly, efficiently wrapping the bandages not too tightly and tying off the end where the small knot would not aggravate her.

Seeing that he was done, she inwardly sighed in relief. She dropped her tunic down.

Moving on, Leon scooted down to examine her legs. There were only a few scrapes, so it wouldn't take so long. Once Sora repositioned the tunic, he pulled back the blanket.

The atmosphere was easier with Sora much more relaxed.

After a few more moments of silence, Leon's voice filled the air, "We have much to discuss."

Those simple words made Sora nervous. "I guess we do," she intoned softly.

His hands spread some healing balm over her legs. Her toes curled at the sensation.

Wrapping some light bandages, he watched her from the corner of his eye. Leon saw her hands playing with the edge of the tunic, biting her lip lightly. He faintly smiled at that.

However, when he saw the tired drooping of her eyes, he changed his plans. Finished with replacing the bandages, he stood up.

"It can wait for tomorrow."

Her head lifted up, a weary smile on her lips, "That would be a good idea, if you want me to actually speak in full sentences."

Leon couldn't help it; he threw his head back and laughed.

Sora's laughter soon joined his.

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AN: Just a side note, I actually do like May in the show. I just thought crazy May would work better for my story. Haha! Good job for those who guessed the witch's identity!


	12. Chapter 12

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Sora woke up before Leon.

It was a little after dawn, with gentle sunlight shining through onto their campsite. Their bonfire was out, but the fur blankets kept them warm during the night. Leon slept nearby, silver hair spilling onto the forest floor from his mat.

She marveled at its length and color.

One of his arms was draped over his stomach and it moved with his breathing. For a moment, a slight grimace appeared on his face before it disappeared. Concerned, Sora carefully sat up. 'Is it a nightmare or something else?'

She watched him closely, seeing if the expression would come again. A few more breaths and he grimaced again. Her eyes darted away from his face, trying to see if something was wrong. 'I think he's in pain. But what is it?'

When it happened a third time, she saw his hand clench his side. Thinking back to when he could have hurt himself, a thought occurred to her, 'Maybe, when the serpent was coiled around him, it hurt his ribs!'

Genuinely worried, she reached into her sack—now next to her and Leon's bow next to him—and pulled out her wand. Thankfully, Leon was only a little bit past her arm's reach and not any further. Gingerly, she scooted close enough for her to wave her wand over him. Her healing spell was weak, for her body was using the magic to heal her own wounds, but she hoped it was enough for him.

The yellow glow faded into his body. He murmured something, but stayed asleep.

She stayed to watch his actions. His hand relaxed and his facial features smoothed out. Sora reached over to stroke her thumb over his hand's knuckles. She mumbled to herself, "You troll of a jerk. Why didn't you say anything? I could have helped sooner."

Her thumb brushed over a few more times before she withdrew, returning to her mat.

In his sleep, he felt the lingering warmth of Sora and drew the serenity around him like a blanket.

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When Leon woke, he found that he could breathe without pain.

He recalled feeling serene warmth, but he didn't know what it was from. Leon considered Sora as she rummaged around her sack, not yet noticing that he was awake. Her wand was out next to her on the fur blanket. 'It probably was her magic.'

He tested his guess, "Did you heal my ribs?"

Her head snapped up at his slightly rough morning voice. 'It sounds…attractive.' She blushed at her thought and pushed it aside, seeing Leon's questioning brow lift up at her reaction. She most definitely didn't want to explain why her cheeks were flushed.

She plastered a smile, "Good morning Leon! Did you sleep well? I, ah, woke up earlier and noticed that you were hurting, so I took the liberty of placing a healing spell on your ribs. I hope you don't mind."

His hand felt his ribs, "Of course not. Thank you."

She fidgeted, "I didn't heal them all the way though, so you do need to be careful. Once I've healed the worst part of my injuries, I should be able to completely heal yours, if you'd like."

He nodded in acceptance, thinking about what she said, "Earlier, when I cleaned your wounds, I thought I saw some of your yellow magic around them. Is your magic healing them?"

She replied in the affirmative.

"Hmm…I see. That would explain why you're healing so fast. It's truly incredible."

Sora blushed at the indirect compliment. "Fairies automatically draw upon their magic when they're greatly injured. It's helpful, but it also drains our resources. Spells aren't as powerful while we heal. Yesterday, I drew out more magic than I should have, which is why I grew tired so fast."

He reprimanded her for being reckless.

Feeling patronized like a little girl, she scolded back, pointing a finger in his direction, "_You_ shouldn't be walking around with unattended injuries! Rib injuries can be lethal if left untreated!"

His eyebrow twitched, "I wrapped them. It was all I could do at the moment."

"But it wasn't all that _I _could do. You could have come to me. I wouldn't have minded." Her eyes clouded over with a forlorn look, "I know I haven't really been much help to you, but there are a few things that I can do."

Silence ensued.

She sighed, pulling out two items from her bag. "I have some cheese and bread that need to be eaten. We can have this for breakfast."

At his nod, she cut the bread and divided the cheese. Leon sat closer to her. As she extended the bread and cheese out to Leon, his hand went over the food and grasped her wrist.

Startled, she looked from his hand to his face.

Gently, he spoke, "I know you are able. I grabbed your bag first before my arrow because I knew you could handle the witch better than I could." He paused, collecting his thoughts, "My…pride and ego got in the way of asking for a healing spell. You have done so much to protect me, I couldn't ask for your aid yet again."

Her eyes widened at the admission.

She felt her heart swell at the depths of his confidence in her. Ever since the incident with Layla she felt insecure about herself; she doubted her abilities, making her feel bitter at her lack of talent. However, here was Leon, the epitome of self-assurance, telling her that she was someone he could depend on.

It was a wonderful and humbling feeling.

She did not focus on that for too long, for the last part of his speech had her troubled. "Did you assume that I would think less of you if you asked for help?"

He withdrew his hand and turned his face away, as if in shame.

Sora wouldn't have any of that.

Putting the food down, she rose up to her knees to place her hand against his cheek. Her hand turned his head forward to face her.

"You have helped me continuously throughout this journey, even when we were not face to face, and despite your disappearance, you eventually came back and sheltered me. How could I think of you as weak when I've known you to be strong?"

She chided him again, but with affection softening her voice, "How can you stay strong if you've got busted ribs? It sounds like it would be quite the hassle." Despite the seriousness of the situation, she couldn't resist teasing him, "Your ego doesn't like you, I think."

Leon's hand found Sora's. He lay his own over hers, keeping her hand against his face. His eyes were bright and impossible to ignore.

Her fingers went up to rest on his high cheek, slipping out from under his hand, "The blue in your eyes stand out at times…I remember…when you shot the serpent by the lake, it seemed like they were glowing…almost like…" she trailed off in thought.

His hand wound around her own, drawing her hand away from his eyes. They glinted blue, goading her to continue her thought. Her hand curled as she realized what it was.

"Like magic," she whispered in amazement.

Sora thought about the event near the lake, and the thick fog that made things hard to see. 'He was able to shoot his arrows because he could see! He could see because his eyes were enhanced by magic!'

Excitement ran through her, shining through her eyes.

"You're a magical being! What kind are you? Do you have wings or can you transform? Oh, how about an animal aide? Do you have one? Or maybe you're a wizard or warlock! Fairy dust! Why didn't you tell me?"

Before her imagination went any further, Leon cut her off with a small pinch to the hand.

"Ouch!"

"Now that I have your attention, I can answer your question. Unless, of course, if you wish to continue guessing, then by all means," he made a sweeping gesture with his free hand, humor in his eyes.

Sora sheepishly answered, "No, that's alright."

He smirked, and then his face became thoughtful.

"To be honest, I am not sure what we are."

"We? Do you mean you and your sister?"

He nodded, "My grandmother was three fourths magical, my mother half, and then we are a quarter. However, my mother never told us what type of magical being we are. She died when we were young." His eyes grew distant. He felt her squeeze his hand in sympathy. He squeezed back, accepting it.

"I do know that we have an affinity to forests. We are protective of it, especially the area around our home. We could be forest fairies, wood elves, wizards…"

"Pixies or imps…" Sora added under her breath.

Leon snapped out of his mind, "What was that?"

"Oh, uh…I just said maybe…" she quickly fished around for something else, "wood nymphs?"

"Wood nymphs…I suppose that's a possible group of our magical origins…" he looked at Sora, his eyelids lowered, looking—dare she say it?—sensual.

Seeing Leon's expression, she realized too late that she chose the wrong magical creature to suggest.

She mentally bashed her head against a tree. 'Nice going! Of course you choose a race that's known for being amorous! Stupid, stupid gnome! I should have said sprites!'

Leon saw her squeamish form and relentlessly persisted.

He nearly purred out, "What would make you suggest that I am a type of nymph? Do you mean to tell me you find me alluring in some way, Sora?"

The hand holding Sora's entwined with her fingers. Gently, but firmly, he tugged her into him, their bodies touching.

With voice low and enticing, he sinfully asked, "Do you desire me, Sora?"

His enthralling eyes hypnotized her, immobilizing her body from moving away. Idly she thought, 'Maybe I wasn't too far off with the wood nymph…maybe even a siren...' His voice definitely called to some inner part of her, the part that dared her to want, to look, to touch, to care…

She wondered if it was possible, this strange sort of relationship they have.

Or don't have. She wasn't sure.

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What Sora didn't know was that _she_ had a similar effect on _him_.

As he saw the beginning fires in her eyes, he realized just how deeply he _wanted_.

He wanted to make her smile, make her pout, make her angry, make her frustrated…

He wanted to see her safe and warm, to see his home and the changing seasons with him, to see Sophie and her talk and get along like he knew they would.

He wanted to be the source of her stammer, her shyness, her blush, and the fires of desire in her expressive eyes.

He wanted for her to fill all his senses: to see her, to smell her lavender scent, to touch and taste her sun kissed skin, and to hear her speak to him as something more than a 'friendly companion.'

He wanted to know. He _needed_ to know.

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Leon loosened his hold, giving Sora some space before he asked her. Inquisitive honey eyes watched him, wondering what he was up to. He observed her for a few moments, thinking over how to ask.

He finally spoke again, voice still low, "…Why _did_ my absence upset you so?"

Her face looked confused, making the fire in her eyes dim before recognition flashed across her face. Her voice grew incredulous, "Of all the things to ask for an answer, you chose _that_? There are so many other questions you could ask of me."

Both were aware that she didn't respond to his last question, whether she desired him or not. A part of her was relieved that he didn't ask again, yet another part was slightly disappointed.

"Perhaps, but at the moment, this answer is of great importance to me."

Her mind blanked.

"It must have affected you very strongly. You keep bringing it up, like this morning," he softly noted, as if to himself. "And then there was that moment last night when I was touching you, yet your wounds needed attention…why didn't you stop me?"

Wondering if she was supposed to have heard all of that, she started to ask him, but a soft tickling made her halt.

His long hair trailed up her bare arm, the soft breeze being the cause of the motion. Goosebumps were left behind.

In a fascinated trance, Leon brought his free hand to follow the path his hair took on her skin. His fingertips barely touched her, creating more bumps. His eyes were captivated by the phenomenon.

She swallowed thickly.

"What's the matter," she started with a chuckle, hoping to lighten the mood, "You've never seen goosebumps before?"

He paused to look at her. "I have not been the cause of it," he clarified in a rumbling low tone.

Her face flushed.

"You have not answered me," he stated, bringing her attention back to the question. His hand continued brushing her arm.

Her voice was hushed, "I think it's obvious."

His fingers reached her closed hand. Gently, he coaxed it open, then trailed his fingers down her palm and then along her fingers.

Their hands felt extremely sensitive.

She shivered from his touch, idly noticing that his fingers trembled ever so slightly.

His eyelids were at half mast, not quite covering the fire in his eyes, "All the same, there have been too many assumptions made and not enough verbal verification."

"You're not verbalizing anything either. Why should I be the first?" her bottom lip pressed out a bit, bringing out a chuckle from Leon.

"Ladies first," he teased, "Is that not the proper code of conduct?"

Her eyes glared at him, and then suddenly her brows smoothed out. Mischief colored her eyes. Leon noticed the shift. 'What are you up to?'

"There are more than verbal ways of communicating to each other without having any misunderstandings," she stated in a knowledgeable voice.

A curious brow rose, "Please, do share."

Sora did not speak again. Instead, she untangled her hand from his fingers and tugged his hair to bring his head closer. He obeyed, his eyes darkening with desire as they spotted her lips. Angling his head, he leaned in.

However, a kiss was not what Sora had in mind.

She turned her head to rub her cheek with his. Her eyes looked up at him, catching the confusion that flitted through his eyes. She let out a breath to cover her laugh. 'I think I've stumped him. See how it feels to be perplexed?'

Her head turned a little, the edge of her lips brushing against his cheek. Switching to the other side of his face, she rubbed her face into his, lips barely touching his skin.

Soon, she felt him moving his cheek against hers. 'Now you're getting it.'

Slowly, he turned his head, letting his lips brush against the apple of her cheek.

They kept eye contact, the action creating an intimate tenderness she had not felt before. The blue in his eyes looked vibrant and incredibly alive.

His nose trailed up to her ear, "My turn," he murmured, emotion deepening his voice.

Sora inwardly quivered at the sound.

The tip of his nose went down to follow her jawline a few times before he replaced his nose with his lips. Soft warm air escaped his mouth, heating her skin.

Sora gripped his tunic at the sensation, her heart beating rapidly.

His hands found her hips, bringing her close to him again. They stayed around her waist, mindful of her bandaged side.

Her eyes half closed as his teeth gently nipped at her jaw.

Slowly, he trailed down her neck, addicted to the taste of her skin. As he bent over her to get closer, Sora slid her hands from the front of his tunic to grip his strong shoulders. His kisses and nips burned into her skin and the path behind his trail was left with an aching coolness. The simultaneous feeling left her nerves frazzled and electric.

The feeling of her hands made him close his eyes for a moment, relishing and savoring her touch.

Her hands settled, giving his shoulders a comfortable weight.

He returned to his assault on her neck with a renewed fervor, nudging aside the collar of the tunic to expose more skin.

Sound came from her as Leon reached the base of her neck and shoulder. He repeated his previous action, eliciting a soft mewl from her. More heat flooded his veins at her response.

"Leon," his name came out breathlessly. He loved the way it sounded.

Sora's hands squeezed his shoulders, her nails slightly dug into his skin, causing him to shudder a little. "Leon," her voice came out stronger, "please stop."

He paused and withdrew a little to see her face.

Leon's eyes were filled with a blue fire, smothering her. Having his full attention, she shyly answered, "My side's hurting."

He took a breath in to calm himself.

Before he straightened out, he placed one last kiss on her cheek. Affection filled Sora's eyes at the gesture. Leon caught the look in her eyes and took a few more breaths to center himself.

Not ready to let go just yet, his hands led her hips back down to a sitting position.

As he sat back, her hands glided from his shoulders down his arms, her fingers pressing a light weight along his arms.

When she reached his wrists, Leon turned his palms up, catching the tips of her fingers before they stopped having contact. He cherished the feeling that ran through his palms.

Leon still sat close to her, their knees almost touching.

"Do you need me to look at your side?"

Sora, heart still racing and very much flushed, shook her head. 'I don't think my heart could handle that.'

"N-No. It's fine. I just felt it straining, be-being in that position."

His eyes glinted, "Is that so? Well, I'll make sure you are comfortable next time."

Leon, thinking she can't get any redder, was deliciously proven wrong.

Face a flamed; she shoved the food into his hands. "He's some kind of hybrid of pixie and troll!"

To her horror, she saw Leon laughing. 'Oh shoot! I said that out loud!' She slapped a hand over her face in pure embarrassment. 'Why can't I control my big mouth?!'

Calming down, Leon pried Sora's hand away from her face, "Pixie, I could see. But troll?" He 'tsked,' lightly flicking her nose in reprimand. She "eeped" in surprise, rubbing her nose from the attack. "It's not nice to be name calling people Sora, especially their mothers."

Her eyes widened.

"I'm not calling your mother a troll! Just you! You were probably switched at birth or something, like a changeling."

He smirked. "So now my mother stole someone else's baby. Is that what you're saying?"

Sora refused to respond to that. "I'm going to eat. If you don't eat right now, I'm taking your food back."

He leaned in closer, "But Sora, you haven't answered me."

Frustrated, she exclaimed, "For the love of all nature! You're not a changeling and your mother's not a baby snatcher! There!"

She took a large bite of her bread and cheese.

Leon stayed where he was, his eyes slanting mischievously.

"Not that question."

Sora looked at him, her mind furiously trying to recall the questions he asked that she hadn't answered. She took in his waiting face, the blue in his eyes glowering like firewood.

She remembered, and then promptly choked on her meal.

He patted her back, chuckles reaching her ears. 'Leon the Puck, who switches between playing the part of a troll and the part of a nymph!'

A water sack came into her view. She gratefully took it, despite it coming from the one who caused her choking. When her throat passage cleared, she grumbled out a "Thank you."

He graciously took it. But still sat there, waiting.

She hid her face in her hands, "Didn't my actions from earlier answer that?"

He pulled her hands away again, "No, those actions answered the later questions, as _those_ actions followed _those_ questions."

Her mouth was in a deep pout, "You're just being difficult."

"Perhaps, but I'm still waiting."

"Pompous pixie-nymph-person!"

Languidly he replied, "Name calling will get you nowhere."

She most definitely didn't want to say it out loud, so she settled for another non-verbal response. Sora lifted herself quickly, placing a kiss dangerously close to his mouth.

She darted her eyes to her bread. "There. I'm not repeating it, doing it slower because it was too fast, nor am I clarifying it!"

Leon blinked, realizing that she just kissed him. It wasn't on the mouth, but it was a lot closer than he would have thought she would have done. He still felt the press of her lips, warm and with petal-like softness. He hummed his approval.

Before he leaned back, he grabbed the water sack next to Sora. Opening her mouth to object, she halted, realizing that the sack was not hers. 'Wait, so if I didn't drink from my water sack, then that means—' she squeaked.

'I used his! That's like kissing, but indirectly!' She slapped a hand over her mouth, and then rapidly removed it. 'I don't want him to see me flustered over sharing a water sack! The teasing will never end!'

Unfortunately, her squeak drew his attention.

He paused in thought, the sack poised near his mouth. 'What has her all ruffled up?' He eyed his water sack, not seeing anything on it. When she covered her mouth, comprehension dawned.

Leon smirked, taking a long drink.

He pulled the sack back, his tongue darting out as if to taste something on his lips. With a very wicked smile, he spoke, eyes piercing her, "A unique flavor, to be sure, but extraordinarily satisfying."

Sora hoped the earth would take pity on her plight and swallow her up.

Right now.

And not let Leon follow—that would not work.

Sadly, her inner plea was left unheard.

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AN: Whew! This is the longest chapter so far! I really couldn't find a good place to break this into two. If it was two, I felt like the pacing and momentum would be lost.

Side question: Anyone recognize where Sora learned the cheek rubbing affection technique? :P


	13. Chapter 13

AN: Hey look! Another update! I was in a typing frenzy. :P

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Breakfast ended after some more teasing.

As they repacked, Sora was positive that her face will forever be set in a red shade. Once they finished, they finally set out.

Teasing aside, they discussed their predicament and it seemed like following the witch was no longer a good plan. "She's upset and unpredictable. It would be foolhardy for us to continue pursuing her."

Sora chimed in, "Plus, I don't think she will say any more about either one of our curses."

He nodded. "Agreed. Besides, I tire of tracking her. She is a bothersome nuisance."

Approaching the topic with caution, Sora spoke up, "She said that she'd already told you what to do for Sophie's curse. All she told me was that Yu—Prince Yuri was needed. I'm sorry I couldn't get any more than that."

They walked side by side, allowing Leon to brush the back of his hand with hers. "Do not fret."

He stayed silent after that.

Just when Sora thought he wasn't going to elaborate on the cure, he spoke up again. "She asked me if I believed the things that happened in fairy tales."

Sora turned her head towards him. "Fairy tales? How strange! What do her powers have to do with fairy tales?"

"She did not specify. Though, fairy tales seem like…obtuse sources for magic and cures."

Sora gave a sheepish smile. "Most of the tales are centuries old. Over time, the more important details were lost because the tales were told through word of mouth."

She let out a little laugh, shaking her head.

Back when she trained for the Rites of Magic, one of her assignments was to analyze a fairy tale and write out theories of what spells were present in them. Her friend, Mia, was pretty creative when it came to that assignment. Anna, on the other hand, would try to explain how certain gag spells were the most likely spells used. Her rendition of the Fairy Godmother's spells in 'Cinderella' was quite the riot.

She became pensive, wondering how her old fairy friends were doing.

Leon's hand brought her attention back.

She pursed her lips. "Did she at least say which tale to look at or any certain spells? Maybe a place, which magical being, or who they helped out?"

"Not directly, but I believe I have narrowed it down to 'The Sleeping Beauty.' With the need of the Prince and Sophie's state, plus with her…attachment…to Prince Yuri, I'm almost positive I know the cure the witch was suggesting."

Curious, Sora peered up to his face. "Oh really, what is it?"

As she looked at Leon, she stumbled on a root. His hands shot out, bringing her up against him. She gripped his arms, steadying herself. Sora brought her face back to his, about to thank him when his gaze made her pause. He looked at her for a moment, gauging something.

Concerned, Sora lifted a hand up to his cheek. "Leon?"

"The cure," he started lowly, "is true love's kiss."

She blushed prettily at his voice and hearing this in his arms.

The implication of his words penetrated through her flustering. She withdrew her hand, face paling. "True love's kiss…b-but that means—Sophie is Yuri's true love?"

Leon absorbed her reaction.

Eyes narrowing, he stated in a cold voice, "I do not know if Sophie truly means anything to the Prince, but to Sophie, Yuri meant something to her."

Unable to stand not knowing any longer, Leon clutched her shoulders, asking, "Tell me, once and for all, what is your connection with that man."

Sora focused on his eyes, a sort of desperation and some other emotion swirling around in his grey orbs.

Thinking for a moment, she came to the conclusion that the other emotion was something she felt before, back when she first thought that Leon liked May. She felt a little flattered that he felt that emotion towards her, but she mostly felt exasperated with him.

Her eyebrow arched in amusement. "Considering what has happened the last couple of days, I think you know that he is not a romantic interest of mine."

Leon sighed, the tension from his body released in that breath. He rested his forehead against hers, "I hoped he wasn't."

Sora nuzzled her cheek against his, feeling him respond. She laid a kiss at his temple and then drew back, resting her head against his shoulder. "You silly pixie," she said with no real heat behind the words.

"I thought I was a wood nymph," he teased, running a hand through her hair, watching the sunlight make her hair catch on fire.

Cheeks tinted, she grabbed some strands of his hair and tugged it in reprimand.

"I thought we were past this."

He tilted her face towards him, soaking up her mortification. His fingers ran along the red that streaked across her face. "I think not. This color looks ever so delightful on you."

"Troll."

She nipped at a few fingers as they moved down to her lips.

His mouth quirked at her antics.

Bringing them back to their path, Leon nudged her to walk, grabbing her hand before it went out of his reach. He felt her weave their fingers together. She noticed that he had yet to put his gloves back on.

"You were telling me how you know the Prince."

And so she told him, about Layla and Yuri. As she thought he would, he quickly connected the dots that Layla was royalty, having heard her name before.

When she got to the part of finding Layla cursed, her head drooped. She still felt responsible for what happened. Leon brought his other hand to brush the side of her face.

Sora felt a little better after that.

When she finished talking about Layla, she tugged his hand, drawing his attention.

"Leon, you must understand, this has to be kept secret. The people don't know about the curse. They think Layla's just sick. Please, do not speak of this with anyone!"

His thumb rubbed against the back of her hand in reassurance. "I will not. Thank you for telling me."

She smiled in gratitude, making him feel glad that he brought it about.

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At around midday, Sora worked up the nerve to question Leon about Yuri and Sophie.

She almost regretted doing so.

He had been sitting under the shade; the most relaxed she had seen him. He invited her to join him, sharing his rock. She flitted over, tucking herself under his arm. Leon offered her some berries, which she ate with apparent joy.

His hand ran along her bare arm, tickling the sensitive underside. Sora pinched his side, which brought out a grin on his face. Leisurely, Leon rested his back against the tree behind them, bringing her with him. Her head rested on his chest, the gentle beating of his heart lulling her into a calm, subdued state.

In her tranquil state, her thoughts flowed freely, eventually landing on the situation with Yuri. 'Does Yuri like Layla? I know that Layla is very fond of him, but the cure for Sophie's curse…' She frowned, knowing that she'd have to ask. 'I need to know, for Layla's sake.'

Lifting her head, Sora looked to Leon.

His hand switched between playing with Sora's hair and running down her arm. Currently, his fingers were tangled up in her locks, feeling its soft texture. Leon felt the moment she lifted her head up from his chest. His grey eyes found her nervously biting her lip. "What's the matter?"

"Leon…Could you, that is, if it isn't too sore of a subject, well, of course it would be, I mean, anyone else in your position would consider it to be a sore subject, not that it isn't…," she rambled, not quite knowing how to ask.

He untangled his hand from her hair to grasp her chin.

"Sora, just say what it is."

She breathed in, gathering her nerve. "What exactly happened between Yuri and Sophie?"

He released her chin.

Sora berated herself. 'I _knew_ I shouldn't have asked! At least, not right now, when he's all relaxed and enjoying a break!"

She sat up, "Leon, I-I know it must not be easy to talk about it, but I would like to know. I know I'm just a fairy aide, and I know Princess Layla's my ward, but it's more than that. She's one of my closest friends and she _cares_ about Yuri! I need to know if his feelings for her are _genuine_!"

He snorted. "Genuine feelings don't need to be tested or figured out. They speak for themselves."

Undeterred, Sora persisted. "Even so, I would like to know."

Leon straightened himself. "Fine. But I must warn you, I don't know all the details. Some things I determined for myself, between what Sophie said, the witch said, and what the Prince said."

Startled, Sora asked, "You've met with Yuri? How? When?"

"I will get to that eventually. For now, I'll start with when the witch left our home."

TM

From Sophie, Leon learned of the occasional appearances made by the witch in the forest.

During this time, Leon was in town, tanning some pelts and bartering for supplies. The actual tasks do not take long. It was the fact that their home was deep in the forest that made the trip long.

Sometimes Sophie joined him, other times, she preferred to stay in the forest.

Leon was not really worried about leaving Sophie alone. Hardly anyone comes their way and Sophie's innate talents with her magic aided her in times of trouble. Their mother's magic showed up strongly in Sophie, while Leon's was mostly dormant—except for a few instances, he really didn't use magic.

Sophie was in the forest when she thought she caught the glimpse of the witch's hair. She followed it, hoping to check up on her, but no matter how far she went, Sophie would be almost always out of her reach.

This was the first time she caught a glimpse of Prince Yuri. He was hunting, a visitor to the kingdom, with one of their kingdom's prince.

A little nervous, Sophie went back the way she came.

The next day, she thought she heard the witch call out to her. She followed, dropping whatever was in her hands. Sophie came upon the princes' campsite this time. Surprised to find a young woman out in the woods, they invited her into their campsite.

She told Leon that she felt that she shouldn't but something whispered her name, telling her to go.

Sophie obeyed.

They fed her some of their game and talked. Prince Yuri seemed to be the more charming of the two. Before dark, she bade them good-night, telling them that her campsite lay further on.

For the next few days, Sophie felt compelled to return to the princes, especially Prince Yuri. She always made sure to leave before nightfall, however.

There was one day, though, when the other prince was persistent that she stayed. His forcefulness scared her, making her dash for home.

The next day, she planned to not go, but the voice from before persisted. As the sun crossed the sky, the voice was practically screaming at her to go. Head aching, she went to try to silence the voice.

When the other prince tried to keep her there, she blasted magic at him, making Prince Yuri step away from her. After that day, she knew that something was dreadfully wrong.

The next morning Leon came home.

TM

"Sophie told me what was happening to her, her confusion and fear. We both figured that the voice must be a magical being, but I was the one who pegged it as the witch. Sophie wanted to be sure first, before we placed blame on her."

His jaw clenched.

"When I finally found the witch, the curse had already set into Sophie. I learned that Sophie had sought _her_ out before I did to find out the truth. I yelled, screaming at the witch for some sort of explanation. All I got was that she wanted to test them, to see if their affections were _genuine_."

Sora flinched at the way Leon said the last word.

"She told me to seek out Prince Yuri, the man who captured Sophie's heart. And so I did."

His gaze hardened. "I pleaded with him, asking him to come and save Sophie, the young woman he met in the forest. Do you know what he said to me?"

Sora gave a small shake of her head though Leon was not expecting her to answer.

" 'Who is Sophie?' "

Her eyes watered.

"I do not know if he really did not know her name or if he only pretended to, but regardless, I asked him to come anyways, to at least _try _to awaken her, but he refused."

He paused to compose himself.

"I tried a few more times. When the Prince denied my presence in his courts, I wrote to him. And for weeks, I put aside my pride, sending letters and messages for him to come, or to allow me permission to bring Sophie to him. He stopped responding after the first letter. This is how I know the Prince as—a man too selfish and important to not be bothered about saving an innocent young woman's life."

Through her tears, Sora saw him swallow hard.

"I hope, if only for your sake, that he truly cares for your friend."

He closed his eyes, ending his tale.

Leon felt Sora wrap her arms around his neck, her head in the crook between his neck and shoulder. "I'm sorry," she fervently whispered into his ear, her voice breaking, "I'm so sorry!"

Sora understood the stress of time and the forbearing weight of a curse.

"To have found the cure, only to be repeatedly rejected by the one who could possibly break it…" She lifted her head a bit, nuzzling her face into his neck to offer comfort.

When he finally allowed himself to take in her comfort, his forehead fell onto her shoulder, feeling world weary. She stopped nuzzling him in favor of another comforting gesture.

Her hands ran up and down his neck in a soothing manner. Leon reached up with a hand and released his ponytail. Silver hair cascaded around his body, a veil of privacy as he wrapped his arms around Sora.

She ran her hands through his hair, lightly scratching the back of his head.

Sora felt tremors shake his body and said nothing when she felt moisture on her shoulder. 'For weeks, you have carried this anxiety and worry, anger and frustration bottled up inside.'

His grip was a little tight, but she endured it.

'Who knows how long he has needed this—a simple gesture of comfort and an outlet for his emotions.'

At that thought she laid a kiss on his silvery head. A few tears leaked out.

TM

That night, as they settled down after covering more ground, they set their mats side by side—facing each other.

Sora traced his fingers with her own, feeling his callouses he accumulated over the years of hard work and archery. Leon was content to watch her, marveling at the softness of her hand.

After a while, Sora murmured, "We'll figure this out. Somehow."

He looked on, thinking over the probability of their success.

At his silence, she threaded their fingers, "I'll need to tell my mentor about what May said about Layla's curse, but after that, I can check out Sophie's condition…that is, if it's alright with you."

Although his voice was low, appreciation highlighted it as he responded, "I would be more than grateful if you would do so."

She flushed at his gratitude, shyly nodding.

He tugged her forward, lying onto his back. She came and settled herself against his left side. Leon's hand pulled her arm towards his mouth.

He laid a kiss on the back of her hand. He turned it over to place another on her palm, then another on the underside of her wrist. Her skin felt warm.

When he placed an open mouthed kiss on the inside of her elbow, Sora felt a need starting to burn.

Eyes alit; she gingerly pulled herself up to place a kiss on Leon's jaw. She continued a little ways down until she couldn't reach any further. Emboldened, she threw a leg over his waist and leaned down to his neck.

Leon's eyes widened at her actions, but did not stop her.

Sora pushed his hair aside, revealing his lean but slightly brawny neck. She nipped at it and then soothed the bites with kisses. She wanted him to feel the way she felt when he touched her.

The hand that steadied her lay over his heart, feeling the rapid pounding it made.

Leon let out deep exhales of breath through his nose at the petite fairy's boldness. He managed to tease out, "Who's the true nymph, I wonder?," before he groaned at her recent bite, having found a particularly sensitive spot.

As his hands ran over her legs, she gasped out, "It's your fault," and she felt herself shiver at the feeling of his warm hands.

His chest rumbled, laughing at her retort.

His mirth turned into a grunt as Sora's knee hit a sore spot on his ribs. Hearing the sudden cut off of his laughter, Sora's head came up from his neck, "What's wrong?"

His face was a little sheepish, but his voice was filled with disappointment, "My ribs."

Sora giggled at his admittance, though she quickly got off of him. "Just as well. My side was starting to hurt."

Leon's hands helped her settle back against his side. Sora lifted one of his hands to her lips, placing a kiss on his palm.

She smiled. "What a pair we make."

A wiry smile appeared on his face with some mischief in his eyes. "Yes, both injured, yet still trying to have passionate trysts."

Sora smacked a hand against his chest.

"That's not what I meant!"

Leon felt a sting from the hit, but her reaction was worth the slight discomfort.

TM

TM

TM

AN: I'm trying to get this story done before life gets hectic—as if it isn't right now! Lol!—so I will update when I can. So far, I think I've been pretty good with the updates. There are quite a few scenes that weren't in my head that ended up revealing themselves as I typed. What can I say, inspiration comes when it will.


	14. Chapter 14

AN: I thought it would be tedious and long to have several chapters about the next few days, so I did snippets of time in one chapter. For this chapter, "TM" will still be time lapse or change in point of view. TM TM= will signify a different day.

TM

TM

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The next few days, they were close to the other.

If one had to move away to do something, they'd quickly come back and reclaim their spot by the other's side. Hands brushed against one another until one of them decided to keep their hands together.

It was a strange, but wonderful time.

TM

The day before last, they found a small lake in which to bathe in. After making sure it was safe, they took turns, separately washing.

At night, as Sora was tucked into Leon's side, Sora noticed his smell. It was woodsy, like he was the forest itself, yet there was an individual scent that stood out, teasing her nose like some foreign spice but with a tanginess she could not quite describe.

Her nose buried into his side, trying to figure it out. Having felt her press into him, Leon looked to see what she was doing.

Leon was quite amused by the sight.

His hand wound up in her hair. As he ruffled it, her lavender scent drifted to his nose, calming him. He had missed the smell of it. 'We should have bathed sooner.'

TM

TM

Sora went back to wearing her own tunic and leggings, mending them with magic.

When she attempted to hand back Leon's borrowed under-tunic, he refused it, telling her to keep it. Sora didn't argue over it.

With her wounds healed, she finished healing his ribs. Grateful, he nuzzled her cheek in the way she taught him. A thought occurred to him as he did it.

"Where did you learn that? Is it a fairy custom?"

Sora smiled, a secret hidden in her voice, "The cheek rubbing thing? Oh no."

Seeing that she wasn't going to answer him right away, he played along, "The castle then, perhaps?"

Sora laughed, "Oh, I would _love_ to see the powdered nobles rubbing cheeks! Their made up faces would be ruined!"

He snorted at the thought. "Then from the forest."

Her eyes twinkled, "Yes, you are right!"

His face grew thoughtful, "Who in the forest did you learn it from?"

She grinned playfully, hoping he had heard her comment from several days ago, "Why, the flying squirrels, of course. It must have slipped your memory, seeing as you're one of them."

He did remember hearing her comment. And he was not amused.

In retaliation, he threw her into the nearby pond.

Then, he was amused.

But then not amused, when she threw her body towards him to trap him in a bear hug and soak his clothes.

Seeing his sullen face she rubbed faces with him, laughing.

His mouth downturned even more, until he felt her nipping his nose, then his high cheeks, his chin, jaw, throat…

He found a tree and pressed her into it, drawing her tunic's collar back to fervently nip her shoulder as she eagerly nipped his neck. Her legs secured themselves around his waist.

The chill eventually made them stop.

TM

TM

They frequently talked as they walked.

The topic changed with Sora doing most of the talking. She went from her pre-castle days, to early castle days, to her friends, to her worries and concerns, to random observations she found.

Leon spoke up, from time to time. Sometimes he'd make a comment about his own childhood memories and thoughts.

The current talk dealt with what the witch said about Layla's curse.

"…so, I need to focus on the nature of the curse. What I do know is that it's around Layla's lungs and heart, which is the cause of her sleep, but I don't see how that's going to help me with its nature."

Leon "hnned" in thought.

"Perhaps, Sophie's and Layla's cures are similar. They both are immobile, and nothing from the outside can awaken them." He paused, "You said that the curse was around certain parts of her body…does this mean you are able to see it?"

"Yes! It's shaped like a snake, coiled around those organs! It's May's magic and her signature of the curse." Sora tapped her chin, "Though, not every spell and curse has an actual shape. May did say it was her favorite and that she made it up on her own."

She turned her head towards Leon, "I'm hoping that I will see the same thing happening with Sophie's curse. If they are the same, when one of them awakens, then we will know what cure works."

Sora frowned as she recalled something, "Oh wait, May didn't have the same reaction to Sophie's curse when we talked. She didn't call it her 'personal curse.' They might not be the same then. Troll's feet!"

Leon arched a brow at the exclamation.

She furrowed her brows in concentration, "If they both have the same sleeping state, then what makes them different? Is one built on the other? Can both curses and cures be found in fairy tales?"

She bit her lip, frustrated, "Argh! I guess I'm going to have to ask Ken for some help; if I can't get anything from seeing Sophie's condition."

Leon blinked at the new name. "Ken?," he repeated.

Sora's frown faded and was replaced by a smile, "Oh, he's a fairy friend I know! He knows how to solve all sorts of magical related problems. I go to him for help when I can."

He felt the beginnings of something stir at that proclamation. "I see," he said in a neutral voice.

Confusion flitted across her face at his tone. Or rather, lack of tone. "I'm sure we can figure it out, if I can't after checking on Sophie."

"Hn." He felt the feeling build up.

Sora's mouth twisted, "Well, I can't tell for sure with what we have! We'll figure it out, eventually."

The "we" echoed in his head with the annoyance of a gnat. "Fine."

Her nose scrunched up, "What's the matter now? It's not enough?"

"It's fine."

"You're not acting like, 'It's fine.'" Her fingers drew quote marks in the air.

Leon's eyes narrowed, "I said it is fine. Leave it at that."

She stepped up to him, "Look, I'm sorry, but this is all that know right now! Give me some time and we'll know more!"

His heart swelled with a sort of bitterness. "'We,' as in you and Ken?," he spat.

Her eyes widened with disbelief. She stammered, "W-What? Of course Ken and me, I don't-." Leon cut her off by lowering his face in front of hers.

His eyes stormed with flashes of something sharp, making Sora pause and consider what he meant.

"I'm not trying to cut you out. It's just that you don't have as much…" She looked for a good word, "…experience with magic. You even told me that you rarely use what magic you have."

When his eyes iced over, she realized that maybe she shouldn't have said that. He lifted his head out of her view.

Desperate to fix what she said, she reached out and grabbed his arm, "Leon, I'm not belittling you! I know you have brilliant skills and talents to offer!"

No one said anything.

He gave a stiff nod of acknowledgement and removed her hand from his arm.

Alarmed at the sight of him walking away with his gear, she raised her voice, "Wait, where are you going?"

He briefly turned to address her. Leon gestured with his chin, "Follow the path that way. I'll be back shortly."

TM

It was dark when Sora finally stopped, with no Leon in sight.

Wearily, she set up camp, stoking up a small fire. Her meal would not need the flames, but she hoped it would act as a signal for Leon to come.

She ate her berries and mushrooms solemnly.

As she lay down to sleep, she felt her eyes water, thinking back to the time when he had first left her, earlier on. 'Has he left again, except this time…for good?'

A few tears slipped out.

TM

She groggily awoke in the middle of the night, feeling a hand brush against her cheek.

Her eyes spied Leon crouched in front of her.

Upset, she pushed his hand away. Leon allowed it to drop. Getting out from under the cover, she hissed out, "Where have you been? That was not a 'shortly' time period to be gone!"

"I went hunting," he replied.

Her mouth tightened at the short response.

"Oh then, that's alright—except that it's _dark_!"

He allowed his eyes to glow blue. 'Oh, right. Magic.'

"Well, I'm assuming you had a good time. I guess I did too, just walking around, starting a fire and going to bed." Sora felt her eyes prickle a little, but she shoved the feeling down, letting anger stay with her.

"I hope it was worth it, you selfish troll of a jerk!" She rose onto her knees, "Do you have any idea how I felt, thinking that I made you go away and not knowing if I would have a chance to fix it? And then you come back, all good and dandy, late at night without a care in the world!"

Sora's chest heaved, catching her breath.

After letting her say her piece, Leon spoke quietly, "I was distressed. I went to collect myself."

She gaped at him, "And it took you this long to calm yourself? I said that I'm not cutting you out! What is it about that statement that you don't understand?!"

Leon's eyes flashed, "It wasn't about that. It was about Ken."

Seeing the perplexed look on her face, he elaborated, "It was about what he has to offer that I don't. I've known that you're of magic, but it never really crossed my mind before that…" He swallowed, his mouth having suddenly gone dry, "you might want someone who was magical as well. The conversation about Ken made me realize this."

He raised his hand, stopping her from interrupting, "Please. Let me finish."

She closed her mouth, letting his "commanding" go unremarked and watched him attentively.

"I…am of magic, partly, but I don't quite have the abilities of full blooded magical beings. I haven't been trained or taught about magic. I've solely relied on instinct. I never really thought that it would make such a difference to me." He caught her eyes for the last part, "Now it does."

She looked at his beautiful grey eyes, glinting with a blue hue of melancholy. 'There is a question in them that could damage our relationship, if I'm not careful.'

She swallowed a sob, answering him, "You stupid gnome, that doesn't make me think any less of you! Why do you keep thinking like that?"

The stiffness in his shoulders relaxed.

He leaned over, rubbing his cheeks with hers. "I don't know."

A few tears slipped down her cheek, wetting his face. "Well, stop it," she choked out, "you mean a lot to _me_. I don't like to hear you putting yourself down." She gave a lock of his hair a sharp tug, "And stop going away! Your disappearing act is getting old really fast."

Leon hummed in acquiescence, pressing a kiss on her cheek. "I'll keep that in mind," he murmured, feeling affection in his heart.

Her arms wrapped around his waist. As she lay down, her arms drew him down with her. He grabbed the blanket and set it on top of them. She snuggled into his chest as his chin settled atop of her head.

A few stray tears fell. Sora sniffled. Leon ran his hand along her back soothingly. She calmed, eyes drooping.

"Sora?"

"Hmm?"

"Will you forgive me, for leaving you alone again?"

She sleepily answered, "Yes, now go to sleep; it's the middle of the night."

He chuckled, and then closed his eyes with his arms secured around her.

TM

TM

Sora walked back with her hair wet and feeling very refreshed.

"Baths are great! Scented oils and soaps are brilliant!" She shook her hair out some more.

Leon was nearby, checking out the trails.

She lightly sang a fairy tune, missing the rustling of leaves above her. Leon appeared upside down in front of her from a branch of the giant tree above her.

She squeaked at his sudden appearance and then squeaked again when he grabbed her upper arms and hoisted her up on the branch with him.

Sora continued to grip his forearms, having grabbed them in her fright as he lifted her up. Heart calming down, she huffed out, "What was that all about? Are you _trying_ to scare me?"

Leon smirked, "I thought you'd like a lesson in tree climbing. Your grip, by the way, was a good move. While you are very light, others with lesser strength would find it difficult to lift you up solely on their own power."

Her eyebrow quirked, a habit she unconsciously picked up from him. She teased, "Is that so? Well, since I helped you, does that mean you are one of those with lesser strengths?"

He did not reply. He demonstrated.

Swiftly, he jumped up to a higher branch, effortlessly lifting himself up—with one arm. He had a short sleeved tunic on which allowed Sora to watch in fascination as the muscles of his arm contracted from the motion.

Distracted, she did not see him reach out and grab her arm until he was already lifting her up. Carefully—again, upside down and with one arm—he brought her up, bending his torso and pulling himself up with his legs. She sat on the tree branch, stunned.

His power spoke for itself.

At her speechlessness, he grinned. 'Guess that answered her.'

"So," he started smoothly, "today, you will get to the top of this tree, without magic or your wings."

Looking at the tree in question, her head tipped back…and back…and back…

"_This_ tree!? It's so tall; I can't see the top from here!"

"I will be here in case you slip."

"That's not the point! I don't have the strength that you do! I'm going to tire out faster than you!"

Leon hummed, "True, but the way I climb will not be the way you climb. When I climb, I take advantage of my upper strength. For you, we will be using your lightness to our advantage."

Sora considered what he said. She eyed the branches, seeing which ones she could climb and could hold her weight.

He noted her assessing eyes. Leon leaned forward, tempting her, "Why not see what you can do, while you have the chance to do so?"

That statement cemented her decision. "Let's try it."

He started the lesson by showing her some places to step and where to grab the branch. Next, he had her test her weight on some thin branches so she could get a better idea of which branches can and cannot hold her weight. Leon had his hands braced around her waist as she tested the branches, just as a precaution.

Once she felt somewhat comfortable, they began to climb.

Leon moved at her pace. He kept an eye on her movements, making sure she was doing what he told her to do.

Sora eased herself up at a decent pace and chose safe branches for her to put her weight on. A few moves displayed good agility and flexibility, things he was not sure she had. 'Those will aid her in this climb.'

As they neared the top, Sora was out of breath, her arms were sore and her hands had tree sap on them. However, these things did not really bother her. She felt adventurous and strong, climbing this giant tree without any magic to aid her.

Her own body was her power and she wanted to try out its limits.

"Almost there," Leon called out.

She grinned, pulling herself up the last few branches. Leon stood, waiting for her. He balanced himself on a thin branch, one hand holding the very thin trunk. His loose hair streaked the sky with silver. He gestured next to him and Sora lifted herself up with a grunt. Taking a moment to situate herself, she copied Leon and grabbed the trunk.

Her eyes widened at the sight.

The sun was still up, though not for long, but its light made everything glow. The treetops swayed with a breeze and birds flew into the forest—finding their roosts before the sunlight disappeared. Off in the distance, the mountains stood proud and tall, drastic shadows left on the nearby lands from their impressive heights.

"Amazing," she managed to get out.

Turning to Leon, she remarked, "I can see why you like staying in the trees. The view is fantastic!"

He smiled, pleased that she understood.

TM

About half way down the tree, Sora began to make quite a few mistakes.

After she caught herself from slipping and bashing her head against a branch, Leon realized that he should probably help her down.

He went beside her and let her know that he could carry her down the rest of the way.

She was too tired to be embarrassed at the prospect. 'I'm going to seriously hurt myself if I don't take his offer.' Sora was glad that he at least was considerate enough to _offer_, instead of _demanding_ her to let him carry her. It wasn't demeaning that way.

"Do you want me to hang around your back or your front?"

He considered the pros and cons of both, deciding on keeping her around his front, that way she would land on him instead of him on her if they were to fall. Though, it was very _unlikely_ that he _would_ fall.

"The front, if you please."

Sora wrapped her arms loosely around his neck while her legs went around his waist.

She kept her head down to keep his view clear and also out of embarrassment. The last time she was in a similar position with him was a more…heated moment, with the both of them leaving bite marks on each other. Her face flushed at the memory.

'I'm not going to think about that right now!'

When Sora wrapped herself around him, Leon's mind drifted to that memory as well. He brought a hand up, inconspicuously pushing aside her collar.

He removed his hand as she shifted.

Clearing his thoughts, he lowered himself down, maneuvering between the branches.

TM

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End of Chapter 13.


	15. End of Part I: Chapter 15

AN: Ok, so we're back to the normal time line. I put a bit of the last chapter into chapter 15 because chapter 14 was running pretty long. Haha! But it transitions better this way.

TM

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Sora bathed—yet again.

She rested on the ground with her pack propping her up. As Leon took his turn, she had started a fire, her arms too tired to do anything else. Leon carried them both down so smoothly, she was still reeling at his muscle control.

Sora thought about the times she was in his embrace. She most certainly felt the strength and leanness of his body, but she never really thought about how he used that strength and how he maintained it. 'I'm more than impressed.'

Leon came into the campsite in his under-tunic and pants, his damp silvery locks loose as they dried.

Sora blushed at the sight he made with his short sleeved tunic revealing his muscular arms, yet the contrast of his long hair gentling the image—in no way did his hair reduced his appearance, but only made him more attractive.

She didn't think she could look at him the way she used to, now that she actually noticed him.

Yes, she noticed his eyes, his hair, and his voice before. But now, it was like she was finally aware of the whole image, not certain parts.

It was a little overwhelming, yet she was curious how this would affect her dealings with him. Or maybe there won't be much of a difference.

'I'll find out soon,' she thought, as he set himself down beside her.

TM

As he walked into camp, Leon's eyes immediately sought out Sora.

She looked a little exhausted as she lay on the ground, but her vibrant honey eyes looked energetic. Her hair was still a little wet, some bangs clinging against her cheek in an alluring fashion. Her slender legs were outstretched, firelight making her skin shine with a golden color. He quirked his brow at her as her toes wiggled.

Leon made his way to her.

"Not that the sight is unwelcomed, but where are your leggings? I recall your yelling when I stripped them off to tend to you."

Sora pursed her lips, cheeks pink. "I didn't _yell_ at you. I was simply…out of sorts."

His eyes glimmered with amusement. "What a courtly phrase to use."

"Besides," she went on, ignoring him, "the leggings were full of splinters and sap. It was too itchy to sleep in. I'll clean them in the morning." Her head dropped back against her pack, "I'm too tired to do it now."

Leon laughed.

Her cheeks tinted a little darker at the rich sound. She closed her eyes, taking in his voice. When he finished, she heard some rustling. Warm skin met her arm.

Her eyes snapped open.

Leon was leaning over her, his head tilted at an angle. His eyes seemed to be intently searching for something below her head.

Curious, she asked, "What are you looking for?"

His slanted eyes connected with hers, "My marks."

Her brows furrowed before they shot up in shock. She stammered, red-faced. 'He's in nymph mode; may Mother Nature help me! …Though, she didn't last time…'

At the reminder of the bite marks, her eyes drifted to his neck, hidden by his hair. 'I wonder if he has some…' Her hand came up to push his hair back, but she halted halfway, realizing what she was doing. Her hand curled and she drew it back to clutch the fabric over her heart.

She flushed at her forwardness.

Sora had already mentally scolded herself for her boldness a few nights ago when she basically plopped herself on him. Her mind reminded her of the other time when she nipped his neck after he threw her in the pond. 'I don't think I need another mental scolding session. I've gotten quite a few already.'

There was just something about Leon that bolstered her, encouraging her to act in so many ways.

His eyes missed nothing. Leon brought his hand to her collar. He played with it, purring, "What's the matter, Sora? Why do you look at me like that?"

She bit back a squeak. 'Complete nymph mode!'

He pretended to think, fingers following the edge of her collar. Occasionally, his fingers would "slip" and make contact with her skin.

Sora felt the area tingle.

"Could it be that _you_ wish to see the marks on _me_?" His eyes looked positively devilish. "Yes, I think that's what it is. Why would you not want to see your _handiwork_?"

She retorted back, face red, "Like _you_ weren't trying to do the same thing!"

Leon accepted the accusation readily. "I _told_ you that was my intent. You though," He peeled back the collar, keen eyes taking in his deed, "you are being _coy_, dear Sora."

Incensed and enticed by him, she responded, her voice lowered, "Me, coy? What about you?" She pointed a finger at him, "You've been wearing your hair down lately." Sora's eyelids dropped slightly, "What are you hiding, _Leon_?"

His smothering gaze returned to her eyes, drinking up the sight.

"Temptress," he murmured deliciously, "All you had to do was _ask_." He reached a hand to push his hair back, but then changed his plans.

Grabbing her hand, he guided her to his hair.

Silky strands slid between her fingers. A shiver traveled down her arm at the coolness of his hair. Together, they pushed his hair back over his shoulder. He jutted his head out, baring his neck to her wide eyes.

His eyes avidly watched her, "Take a look, _Sora_."

In a dreamlike stupor, she sat up. Sora saw the small indents on his skin with excitement and concern. She lightly shook her hand, making Leon release it. Hand free, she ran her fingers over a few, softening her touch when she reached a deeper mark. She looked at the sight with a frown.

"Does it—Did I hurt you?," her eyebrow furrowed in worry.

Leon's hand tilted her head to look at his eyes, the animated blue fading slightly at her show of concern. "Do not be troubled, Sora. You did no harm to me." Still seeing her frown, he brushed his other hand across the marks on her shoulder. "Did I hurt you when I gave you these?"

She bit her lip, shaking her head. "No, not really. It felt…good." She shyly lowered her head at the admission.

Leon's thumb caressed her cheek. "I greatly enjoyed it as well, so do not worry." Her face finally relaxed. She leaned forward out of his hand. He felt her place a kiss on the mark that gave her concern. A small adoring smile appeared on Leon's face. He brought his attention back to her shoulder, hand running along her soft skin. The craving in his eyes rekindled at the sight.

"Something has been brought to my attention." His voice was calm, but Sora wasn't fooled—she noticed the fire in his eyes.

She couldn't help it; she asked him what it was.

Something feral ran through his eyes before it disappeared. Sora shuddered, feeling like she fell for some sort of trap. She swallowed a huge lump, waiting to see what she got herself into.

Leon brought them cheek to cheek, not moving. She knew he was teasing her, prolonging the inevitable. Finally, he leaned in close to her ear.

His voice was rough with emotion, his eyes ablaze with blue, "I missed a spot."

He didn't give her the time to react.

He firmly pushed her down onto the mat, gripping her collar to expose her other shoulder. Open mouthed kisses frantically besieged the area. Sora gasped at the onslaught.

Her hands glided up his impressive arms to his back, feeling the shifting muscles as he moved—even through fabric. She thought of when she saw him climbing up, and the way his body sinuously and lithely moved ever so appealingly. Her eyes lidded at the memory, amplifying the feeling of his muscles beneath her hands.

He felt warm and strong; she willingly immersed herself into his embrace.

She bit her lip at a particularly deep bite, sound escaping her lips. Sora unconsciously clenched her fingers. Her eyes closed at hearing him groan, the noise traveling through his body to be absorbed by her limbs.

Through the haze in her mind she idly thought, 'I guess it does make a difference.'

TM

Leon calmed down from his frenzy, sporting a few new marks as well.

They lay on their sides with the fire nearby. Both of their tunics were a little askew, but they didn't bother with it—one would be moved to nip or touch the other, so they would be fixing it repeatedly. Sora was currently kissing his marks, her lips barely there. She sent small delightful shivers through him and he was not motivated to stop her anytime soon.

She placed a few more before tucking herself under his chin to rest.

Leon inwardly sighed at the loss. He enjoyed it while it lasted.

His hand went into her hair. As he stroked her locks, Sora lazily followed his hand, her eyelids slowly drooping. Her eyes vaguely caught a flash of color that was not her hair or the color of his skin. She watched a few more times, noticing that it moved with Leon's motions. Sora's mind woke up, curiosity ignited.

Like a cat waiting for a mouse, Sora's hand shot out when she saw the color again.

Leon permitted her to stop his strokes, a little startled by her action. "Sora?"

Bringing his hand close, she examined the object. Around Leon's wrist was a thick woven bracelet mainly consisting of a dark brown color. A dried acorn had been weaved into the center of an elaborate design of tan and a reddish brown color.

'His long sleeved tunic must have covered it.' While the work was lovely, Sora felt like there was something else that drew her attention.

"It's beautiful Leon. Where did you get this?"

His eyes looked at the item in question. "It was a gift from Sophie." His hand touched it, thinking. "Why do you ask? I know you wouldn't have reacted this way if it was only to know where it was from."

Sora squinted her eyes as she inspected the bracelet. "I really do think it's marvelously made—Sophie is obviously very skilled—but I can't help feeling like there's something here that we're missing."

Intrigued, Leon bent his head to get a closer look, "Something we've missed? Like what?" Sora stayed quiet as she perused his wrist, taking a look from all angles. She pouted, not seeing what the bracelet hid.

"Argh! It's there, I can practically feel it!" She froze after her statement. "I can _feel_ it…" Sora brought her other hand over Leon's wrist, concentrating.

Leon saw her eyes start to glow an amber color as magic filtered into her irises. He waited, hoping the information she delved from the bracelet would help with the curse.

Slowly, but surely, Sora began to see a pastel green threaded between the weaving, with a large source of magic in the acorn. "Sophie's magic…" she whispered. Leon gazed at the bracelet. Sora continued with a sweet smile, "It feels like springtime."

He wished he could see and feel it. Leon could sense magic as it was being cast, but when it was a spell already set in something, he could not. Unless, of course, the spell was meant to be seen—but most spells were hidden.

Her amber eyes dimmed, withdrawing her magic. "It's a charm of sorts," she pointed to the acorn, "this draws energy from nature, allowing the spell on it to stay strong. I would say that it's most resilient in a forest." He took in her words, coming to a conclusion.

"This must be the protective charm the witch spoke of. I received my gift when I returned from my duties in town, when the witch was manipulating Sophie. I'm not surprised; she liked to look at mother's book of magic." He sighed heavily. "I only wished we knew of the witch's magical qualities earlier on. We may have been able to prevent any of this from happening."

Sora cradled his hand. "You didn't know May was a witch when you housed her, is that what you're saying?"

He grimly nodded. "She kept that vital piece of information to herself. I had my suspicions; however, it wasn't until I confronted her about Sophie that I found out."

Sora thought about May and her terrible deeds. She frowned, "I still don't understand how May could do these horrible things." She paused as something he said caught her attention. "What made you suspect that it was her doing these things to Sophie?"

Leon gave a long exhale of breath. "There were times, when she stayed at our house, that I sensed her gaze on me for longer than it should be. Normally, I wouldn't think much of it. When Sophie and I first went into town, we received many stares from the people. However, I felt…unsettled by her gaze. I secretly caught her gaze once, in a nearby reflective surface. It was filled with…unstableness and an intensity I could not name. That was the only time I witnessed it."

"When she finally left, she made an offer to me—for me to come with her. I declined. Her eyes had flashed with something before disappearing as quickly as it came, making me doubt its existence at the time. She told me she'd give me a while and help me with my…situation…" He trailed off, realizing something.

Leon drew in a sharp breath.

The hand in Sora's grasp fisted itself; she saw the knuckles turning white. "Leon? What is it? What do you remember?"

"When I declined, I had mentioned something along the lines that I had Sophie to look after." His eyes glowed with fury—whether it was mainly towards himself or the witch, he wasn't sure. "I'm certain that the witch was trying to set Sophie up with the Prince so that I wouldn't have to look after her." He sneered, "How generous of her to play the matchmaker."

"So why cast the curse, then, if she already had them meet each other?"

"For some reason the Prince stopped taking interest in Sophie. It could have been because she blasted magic at his companion, but I am not sure." His eyes narrowed, "If the witch truly was setting them up for that reason, the curse could have been a way for them to come closer, I suppose. However, I believe Prince Yuri's distancing from Sophie thwarted her plans."

Sora gasped at the audacity of the witch. "How could she have thought that was alright?"

He wanted to roll his eyes, agreeing with Sora's question, "She's unstable. Who knows what sort of logic runs through her mind." Leon sobered. "Regardless, the witch's actions with Sophie are a result of my words." He looked away at that.

'What kind of protector am I, if I am the catalyst of the problems of those I am trying to protect?' Leon closed his eyes in shame.

Seeing a sort of bitterness on his face, Sora gently touched the tight fist in her hands. Her fingers persuaded his hand to relax to a loose grip. She traced the veins in his hands, slowly pacifying the anger running fast in his blood.

"May is reckless with her magic and no one else but the welder is to blame for the spells that they cast." She continued to murmur, "The curse is her fault, not yours. It is _her_ magic that keeps Sophie still."

At her words, Leon looked back. Sora's fingertips traced the lines on his palms, his nerves tingling from her action. She followed a long line and drifted off to touch the inside of his wrist. "You do not have the markings of a cruel being, especially one that would think to purposely harm his own sister."

A little distracted, Leon absentmindedly asked, "You know how to palm read?"

She grinned, "Not really. A friend tried to show me once, but I couldn't recall what each thing meant." Her face looked impish. "Though, I do see the marks of the rodent family on you."

Leon's expression deadpanned. "You are on dangerous grounds, fairy. I think it best we go to sleep before something…unfortunate happens."

Sora impulsively felt like testing his threat.

She pushed forward, "Why, even Sophie knew of your relation! She picked an acorn for your bracelet."

His eyes glinted blue.

Leon slowly ran his hand down her calf, taking great pleasure in seeing her squirm. "That was not a wise choice, Sora." Reaching her ankle, he swiftly slid her leg over towards him, draping it over his thigh. Sora furiously pushed her tunic down, face red.

She squeaked when she felt his fingers along the sole of her foot. Attempting to jerk her leg out of his grip she only made her situation worse as Leon held it down with the pressure of his arm.

"St-t-t-oooo-p! Stop it! Ah!"

Leon's smirk was filled with evil pleasure at her dilemma. His eyes glowed with blue intensity.

"I think not."

Sadly, her wand was out of reach.

TM

Breakfast the next day consisted of Sora glaring at Leon over her smoked rabbit.

Leon took in the attention with pride.

"You do realize that you're only feeding my enjoyment rather than hindering it."

She said nothing, ripping a chunk of meat. Her face was just too much. Leon's smirk was extremely wide. She stubbornly persisted. "You do realize that your face will split in half if you smirk any bigger." Her statement brought a few chuckles out of him.

"You should learn when to concede. Then you wouldn't be in these predicaments."

Her mouth sullenly pouted, "Doing that will only make you into a worse type of troll!"

Leon tilted his head, "I was under the impression you felt the opposite about me." His gesture made his hair fall back, exposing his neck. Her eyes automatically looked at the sight.

He caught her stare and latched onto it. He silkily stated, "I believe you think of me in a favorable manner." His voice lowered intimately, "In a rather…_pleasing_…manner."

He was not disappointed by her reaction.

She threw her leftover rabbit at him, aiming at his head. 'Maybe this will wipe that stinking- troll-strange crossover of a nymph-smirk off his face!"

She was disappointed when he easily caught it.

"If you were finished, you only need to let me know. There's no need to be irresponsible with our food."

Sora opened her mouth to shoot something back when she halted. She vaguely noticed that Leon straightened up, obviously picking up the foreboding feeling in the air.

Soon after, a thrashing in the underbrush had their attention.

Leon grabbed his bow and arrow, notching it. Sora came closer with her wand, making a barrier around them. Red hair and dark purple scales flitted through the greenery. They tensed, looking for the witch. Sora concentrated, trusting Leon to watch over her as she scanned the area.

She leaned up to whisper, "I don't feel May's signature. I think it's just the serpent."

"Dragon," he corrected, eyes looking for the creature. She huffed, "It seems more like a serpent to me!" He bit back a comeback, instead focusing on their unwanted guest.

It soon appeared, swinging its tail towards them. Leon ducked out of habit. The serpent hissed as it made contact with Sora's barrier. He heard Sora whisper behind him, "Is it just me or does that serpent keep trying to hurt you?"

He murmured back, "It has swiped at you too."

She pouted. "That was once! He coiled around you last time and just now that swing was for your head! And don't try to tell me that was for the both of us; the last time I checked, I wasn't as tall as you!" Leon considered what she said.

Thoughts were interrupted by the serpent dropping something onto the ground. Deed done, it glared at them and then darted back the way it came.

"That was strange."

Sora drew closer, curious about the item. Leon's hand halted her. "Don't worry, I won't touch it. My barrier will keep us safe. It will move with me so stay close." Once they were near it, they saw that it was a glass ball.

"What? These are used in communications, mediums to talk to those far away, even the dead." As she finished her statement, the ball clouded with a violet smoke.

"Still as slow as ever, I see."

"May!"

The witch's smoky image scowled. "And still as stupid! Don't call me by name, numbskull!"

Sora's mouth twisted. Deciding to get to the point, Leon spoke up. "What is with the theatrics witch?" May deviously smiled. "Well, I had to get in contact with you somehow. I'm a little too busy to come in person."

Leon's eyes were blank. Sora chimed in, "Busy with what?"

May huffed in annoyance. "Of course _you_ ask, you impatient idiot, instead of letting me get to it." She dismissed Sora's outrage, focusing back on Leon. May's twisted smile returned, wider than earlier, "I thought it would be kind of me to inform Leon of a certain…happening…around his home. It's such a shame really. That beautiful cottage, filled with happy memories…"

His eyes widened.

May's face turned sinister. "Think of it as a punishment for telling my name. It was a reckless move on your part, Leon." Before her face disappeared, she added in, "Oh, and Alen sends his regards."

The smoke darkened with purple magic before it exploded.

Leon covered Sora, his back to the blast. Glass and magic hit the barrier. Sora's wand hand slipped out of his embrace to fortify the barrier as some places thinned out.

When it stopped, Sora noticed the surrounding ground where the ball sat was burned away. 'Someone takes 'payback' to a whole new level. I can't imagine what that blast would have done to us if I hadn't put up my barrier.' She shook a little, unnerved.

She realized that Leon had yet to pull away. Sora tried to move, but Leon only tightened his hold. The hands around her waist gripped the fabric, as if his hold on her was the only thing grounding him.

Sora dropped her wand on the grass. "Leon?," She hesitantly asked. He buried his face into her hair, taking in shallow breaths. Her hands went up to his silvery mane. She ran her fingers through it. He said something against her hair, making her pause.

"I must go."

Her heart squeezed.

She swallowed, closing her eyes. "I understand."

TM

Leon packed, adding in a few items and spells that Sora felt he needed.

"…and I enchanted your bag so it won't feel so heavy. It will only last for a few days, so take advantage of that while you can." He nodded, handing her a small bag.

"Here is some smoked meat." When she began to protest, he stopped her, saying, "I have enough already. If need be, I can hunt again. You, on the other hand, aren't inclined to hunt. Take it."

She took it with a small, sad smile.

As she was placing it in her bag, she paused. Her fingers touched something cool and long. 'A chain.' Inspiration hit her as she realized what it was. Sora pulled it out, revealing a thin gold chain with a medallion.

It was a fairy medallion she received upon completing her Rites of Magic. The circular piece was simple, with only an intricate design along its borders. It was purely a ceremonial item, but for Sora's purposes, it will be made useful.

She walked towards Leon.

He eyed the piece with interest, though he was unsure why she brought it out. She circled a hand around the medallion. "Place your hand on mine." He complied, his larger hand encircling hers. She blushed a little, but continued, placing her other hand on top of his. "I'm going to place some magic into the medallion. Leon, could you focus a bit of your magic into your hand?"

His eyebrow quirked in question. "Just follow my lead and I'll take care of the rest." He saw her expectant cinnamon eyes and nodded, concentrating.

As his magic came, Sora's appeared around his, yellow surrounding a rich blue. He watched as the yellow moved into the hand fisting the medallion. Leon felt her warm magic pulling him in gently, coaxingly. He let it flow, Sora's magic leading his. She took what she needed of his magic and poured generous amounts of her own into the medal.

Sora finished, telling him to stop.

When she uncurled her fingers, the medal swirled with their magic before it settled into it, no longer glowing. She raised it up, "This medallion has a barrier spell in it. If May or the serpent attack you, concentrate some of your magic into it. It will respond and activate."

Sora pulled his hair to one side, tiptoeing to hook the chain around his neck. She looked at the medal as it sat on his chest. "I wish I could come and help, but I need to go back."

His hands came up to cup her face.

His eyes were the most expressive she has ever seen. "I cannot thank you enough." His thumbs caressed her cheeks. "I will contact you as soon as I am able, if I cannot return right away."

Sora felt her eyes water, her heart clenching ever so painful.

"I don't want to go yet," she responded selfishly. His eyes warmed, leaning his forehead onto hers. "Sora," he chided teasingly, "that's not the proper attitude of a fairy aide." She leaned into him, savoring the contact.

"Impish troll," she affectionately pouted out.

Leon smiled, drawing her eyes to the motion of his mouth. He noticed her stare.

There was something of an unspoken agreement between the two when it came to this. A kiss on the lips seemed a little taboo, the crossing of some border they weren't ready to step over. However, both, at certain points of time, wondered. They wondered what would happen, what would change, what would bloom from the action.

At this moment in time, he wanted to cross it. He longed for her to desire it as well.

Leon's head came forward to kiss her cheek. She leaned into it. He kissed the very corner of her mouth to let his intentions be known, and then pulled back a little to gauge her reaction. Her eyes searched his—probing, wishing, hoping that the action meant what she thought it did.

Hesitantly, she repeated his action, softly brushing the very edge of his mouth.

Neither needed more encouragement. They met each other slowly—gently—with the faintest feathery touch against the other.

Both shivered, mesmerized by the feeling.

Again they approached, their interaction lingering for a longer time before pulling back. The hands around Sora's face shook. Her hands came up to steady them.

A third time of contact and lips firmly pressed together. Their nerves electrified, hearts pounding as their blood rushed to the vessels with pure pleasure. Her hands resituated themselves to the back of his neck, luring him closer. Leon angled his head, strengthening the intensity of the kiss.

Mouths moved, desperately ingraining the sensation and taste of the other to somewhere more permanent than a memory and deeper than the heart.

They pulled apart: Sora whimpered at the loss of his lips as Leon was tempted to return to hers.

His thumb caressed her bottom lip, admiring its new red color. "We need to go our own ways." Her fingers traced his lips, marveling at its shape for the first time. She spoke, brushing against his thumb, "You better not get mortally wounded or else I'll have to come and find you."

He chuckled, grabbing her hand to kiss her fingers. "Such a heartfelt concern. I'll use it as a shield."

"There's no need for that. I've heard that trolls have tough skin."

"You'd kiss a troll, then?"

Sora leaned up to capture his mouth. She drew back slightly to whisper against his lips, "It depends on the troll."

Leon whispered back, lips touching, "You're delaying me."

She pressed up for another kiss before murmuring, "You're not stopping me."

He leaned down into her mouth, not bothering to refute that comment.

'Just one more' ran through both their minds, making liars out of themselves as they shared another kiss, and another.

They finally parted, catching backward glances of the other as they went their separate ways.

TM

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AN:

It's ironic that I had some of chp 14 into this chapter to prevent it from running too long. Well, guess what? This chapter, chp 15, is now the longest one I've typed! :P I just couldn't break it up comfortably. If I did, the next chapter would have been too short. I settled for a longer one.

You're welcome; but if you like short chapters, I apologize.

I personally like how the last scene came out. I was a little worried about it coming off as unemotional and cheesy (ok, it might be a little cheesy! That's not necessarily bad! ;P ), but I think it works. :) Hopefully, it worked for you too!


	16. Part II The Courts: Chapter 16

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Sora woke up, seeing the ceiling of her room in the castle.

She sighed in disappointment, as she was half expecting to see the sky or some trees. 'Or even,' her mind added in, 'the silvery hair of a certain someone.' Sora rubbed her arms. She missed waking up in his embrace.

Shaking her head, she got up to dress.

It has been almost a week since her return. She remembered how her mentor shrieked at the sight of her: a few leaves in her loose hair; and in a tunic and leggings. Sora forgot to change back into a dress, not to mention tie up her hair. 'Oh well,' she shrugged, 'what's done is done.'

After changing and taking a bath, Sora and her mentor went to her room to discuss what she had learned. Once she said her piece, her mentor kicked her out to confer with some older fairy aides. As punishment for leaving in the middle of the night, Sora had her wand removed and had to serve in the dining hall for all meals for a fortnight. At first, Sora thought the task would be easier than cleaning the chamber pots until she stepped into the hall and saw all the people.

Apparently, the king called in some of his allies to help find the cure and the witch—though, the allies were told that it was a hunt for the woman who attacked Layla, and that only the woman knew the antidote to the paralysis venom she had in her weapon. It was similar to what actually happened, but people tend to be less incline to help if they know it was an attack by a magical being. After all, magical problems had higher risks.

And Sora had to cater to them.

Some brought their families along. The wives and daughters were pretty high handed and particular about their meals and even the setup of their plates. Though, the husbands and sons weren't any better from what she heard from the male servants.

So far, the most outrageous request she has gotten was a nobleman's daughter that wanted her berry juice freshly squeezed right in front of her—without any drops getting on her light colored dress—and fresh meat from a certain butcher's shop for her brother's pet chimera every morning. Sora didn't mind feeding the chimera for it was a fascinating mix of lion, hawk, and reptile. It was a very young and playful creature, often licking her hand. The juice squeezing was tedious, as she was only allowed to crush five berries at a time and the daughter almost always wore pastel colors.

The other servants refused to swap with her. She didn't blame them.

They kept the assignment pickings fair. They drew pieces of paper at random and whosever House Crest you picked, that's who you were serving for the duration of their stay. Sora had a quick breakdown of serving etiquette rules and the "unspoken" societal rules for dealing with nobles. Most of it dealt along the lines of, "Nobles are right, you're not. What the noble wants, you go get. No arguing."

Sora wasn't so sure how long she'd last without breaking the arguing one.

She sighed, putting on the dark brown serving dress. Tying the apron around, she went over her schedule, deciding that she'd want to go see Layla first, then to the butcher's for the chimera's food before serving the daughter.

She woke up early enough for her to actually choose what she wanted to do.

TM

Her room was next to Layla's with a connecting door for her to enter when Layla needed her.

For the time being, another fairy aide had been assigned to Layla since she was too busy doing her punishment. The new fairy was asleep in the chair next to the bed. The curtains were closed, casting an ominous feeling throughout the room. Sora held her candle in front of her, mindful that the light didn't wake up the sleeping fairy.

Looking down, Layla's face appeared as if she truly were asleep. Her features were calm and her long golden hair was clean—no doubt a maid or a fairy spell kept it that way. Sora's hand hovered over her, checking to see if the curse still looked the same.

Thankfully, it was. It still coiled around the same organs as usual. "Its nature," she muttered. "It coils and snaps like a serpent…maybe…I should find out more about serpents."

With that she withdrew, getting back to her tasks.

TM

In the late morning, Prince Yuri arrived, bringing an entourage this time.

When the curse on Layla had been made known to Lord Hamilton and Yuri, the Prince stayed by her bedside. Unfortunately, he had his own courts to take care of, so he went back home for a while. Word had been sent when Sora returned with new information.

With Leon's story about Yuri's dealings with him and the issue with Sophie, Sora wasn't sure how to act around him. She definitely wanted to find out why Yuri refused to help. She hoped it wasn't because he truly was that heartless on the inside.

'Maybe something else is at play here.'

The safest way was to talk to Ken. Sora was planning to discuss the curse with him anyways.

She got ahold of him in the late afternoon, when she finished serving the mid-day meal. They had a late afternoon meal of fruits. Sora asked how he and Yuri were doing.

"Good, considering the curse. We had a visit from one of the neighboring kingdoms. Apparently, one of their princes has gone missing. He had been on a routine trip through the forest, hunting, I believe, so they didn't notice his disappearance right away. However, when the day of his expected arrival came and he did not come, they grew concerned. Prince Yuri has a few men asking around the courts to see if anyone has seen or heard of anything suspicious."

Ken paused to take a bite of his apple. "The Prince wasn't able to sleep the first few days back. I had to repeatedly place sleeping spells on him. He gets a decent amount, nowadays."

Sora popped a grape into her mouth, thinking.

"That's terrible news. Though, I wonder why the restlessness from the Prince. He wasn't an ally of that kingdom, right?" At Ken's confirmation, she continued, "Did something else happen or maybe…did the witch do something to Yuri as well—something that we weren't aware of?"

Ken stammered.

" 'Y-Yuri'? Sora, you shouldn't be so f-familiar with royalty! You could get into a lot of trouble!" Sora inwardly chuckled at the irony. 'I already got myself in trouble for doing that!'

Despite the hilarity of Ken's comment, Sora thought she saw him flinch when she asked him those questions. 'Maybe something else _did_ happen.'

Ken continued absentmindedly, "Anyways, I don't think the witch cast a spell on Prince Yuri. He had some trouble sleeping even before the curse."

His eyes widened slightly at what he said.

He spoke again in a rushed manner, "B-Because of the heat! It was awfully warm in the castle and I tried to cool his room down, but then it got too cold. S-Sometimes, magic can't fix everything."

Sora noticed his apparent blunder, but didn't comment on it.

Filing away that piece of information, she laughed, causing Ken to relax, "Oh yes! It's hard sometimes, especially when you're dealing with the forces of nature! Why, I remember casting a small wind spell to blow the raindrops away from Layla when she got out of the carriage. It worked, but then the raindrops in front of her turned into hail; she had to be careful not to slip!"

Ken laughed as well, pleased that Sora hadn't noticed his mistake.

TM

They met again around the same time.

Sora brought some leftover pastries from the kitchen. Ken ate them with much gusto.

She couldn't get any more information surrounding his blunder the other day, without him freezing up. Sora nearly sighed in exasperation. 'He's just not the type to hold secrets. He lacks a proper poker face.' Not that she was any better. Leon found out about Layla's situation pretty quickly.

'Maybe there's a clue in his room or Yuri's.' She thought back to what Leon said about having written several letters to Yuri. There was a huge probability that they were burned, but maybe one of them wasn't.

'He said Yuri wrote back once, so Yuri might still have that letter for the address. However, Yuri may have given the letter to Ken for safekeeping; and if I was guarding something like that, I'd bring it along with me when I traveled. It would be too risky to leave it in Yuri's castle unguarded. A maid or serving man might find it. Rumors spread fast in the courts.'

Decision made, she made out her plan. 'I'll wait for the right moment.'

TM

Sora didn't have to wait too long. One afternoon, most of the men of the castle went hunting, including Yuri.

Lord Hamilton declared that it would be a good way to release the tensions from the search of Princess Layla's attacker. Some of the women joined the party to watch from a distance while others separated into having tea time and going shopping in the nearby town. The children, with their caretakers, went off into the gardens to play.

Seeing as the nobles would be bringing back some fresh kill, the Head Chef allowed the servers time off. "We already have some items made that would go with duck, deer, rabbit, or fox—whatever wild game they bring. Come back when the hunting group does. Now be off with you!"

Sora mentally pumped a fist in the air, silently cheering at the opportunity.

As she made her way to the Guest Wing, she caught a few of the younger noblemen walking around with young ladies—some with chaperones, some without. They whispered secretly to each other, the ladies giggling behind fans or dainty gloved hands while the men chuckled. She saw one nobleman venture to touch a lady's hand. She fluttered her eyelashes at him.

Sora couldn't help but think of her own experience with Leon.

Though, they didn't really follow court etiquette, and she was far from being an upper class lady. While Leon looked like he could be a noble with his handsome features, his teasing was quite mischievous and his touch fiery—not exactly the manners of a high born either.

She let a fond smile appear on her face, 'I wouldn't want him to be any other way.'

He looked after her in a manner that wasn't condescending or overpowering; though, she knew he had the ability to be so. Instead of crushing her, he helped her up, helped her grow more self-assured. He was calm and nimble; strong and gentle; impish and caring. 'I've not met anyone else like him.' She was positive she would not; for whom else could be Leon, but Leon?

Sora entered a hallway and held back a squeak, promptly turning back the way she came. 'Of course I'd find the one hallway where people are being…intimate.' She flushed at the embarrassing situation. Making her way to another hall, she couldn't help thinking, 'I guess not all nobles follow the courting codes.'

Fairy codes weren't strict, but there were a few "guidelines," or general procedures done when interested in another fairy, especially when in the role of a fairy aide in the castle. The unofficial guidelines were more to try to appease the sense of modesty the courts insisted on having, though from what Sora just saw, it wasn't completely true. She shrugged her shoulders. 'Some couples obey, others do not.'

The topic ended when she reached the guests' quarters.

She searched for the door with Yuri's House Crest. The servants that cleaned his quarters didn't mind telling her which hallway his room was—they told her with pride, glad that they were able to serve the possible groom of their Princess. Sora forced a smile and then bid them a "Good day."

She spotted the crest and lifted her hand to feel around for spells. Sensing none, Sora opened the door.

The room was quite spacious, but there was not much around, except for the bed, desk, and armoire. She did see a chest at the end of the bed with his House Crest on it. 'Ah-hah!' Giving the hallway another look, she deemed it safe to continue and entered—closing the door after her.

Kneeling, Sora undid the lock, surprised that it was left unsecured. Cautiously, she lifted the lid.

Nothing happened. She sighed in relief. Browsing the inside, she noticed it was mostly boots and cloaks. She moved things around, stopping to check through the inner pockets of the cloaks and the pages of the few books she found. Coming up empty handed, she ran her hand along the inner lining of the chest for hidden pockets. Sora found some coins and riding gloves, but no letters.

"Fairy dust! I guess I'll have to check the armoire."

At first, Sora looked around as her hands went through his tunics, but when she opened the drawer for his leggings and under clothes, she closed her eyes. She embarrassingly felt around for paper, trying not to rush through. Minutes went by and there was nothing in the armoire.

Sora tried the desk.

Then the bed, pillows, and mattress; followed by the cushioned window seat and curtains.

She checked the rugs on the stone floor—nothing.

Sora pouted. 'Well, now I'll have to check Ken's room! I should still have time since the hunting party was large; it will take a while to get the game packed and everyone moving again.'

Making sure everything was back in its place, she opened the door, nearly walking into Ken.

"Oh!"

"S-Sora?!"

She took a step back to regain some space. "Ken!"

"What are you doing in Prince Yuri's room?"

She lightly gulped, "W-Well, I was…looking for you!"

Ken's eyebrows shot up. "Me?"

"Yes!," her voice regained some strength, "I figured that you weren't the type to go hunting. It's more of a human male thing, but anyways, I thought I'd go find you, but I didn't know where your room was, but a friend—she's a maid—told me that she knew where Yu-Prince Yuri's room was so I thought that I could look and see if you happened to be there and now here we are!"

He blinked at the longwinded explanation. "Oh."

She smiled at him, noticing a small bottle with some strange liquid in his hand. He saw the direction of her gaze. "Oh, this is just a sleeping tonic that Prince Yuri requested. It seems he had a little trouble falling asleep last night. I was just putting it in his room."

Ken moved past Sora to place the bottle down. 'That doesn't look like the color of a sleeping potion.'

He turned to her, Sora's face still with its smile in place. "So, did you want to go eat something, walk around, or talk for a bit?"

"Food sounds good."

TM

Finishing washing the last sets of dishes, Sora sighed in exhaustion.

"That was way too much food!" The hunting party came back with many different types of game, and they wanted to try a bit of each animal. The side dishes barely fit at the tables.

Needless to say, she had to cut her chat with Ken pretty short. There was much to be done with the food. 'Though, to be honest, I'm glad we didn't talk for too long.' After they ate, he insisted on touring the grounds. Ken chose narrow pathways that had them side by side—a little too close for her comfort.

'I'm actually surprised he did that. He's usually so shy!'

There were times when they accidently bumped hands. The first time, Sora shook it off as nothing, the second, with a laugh, the third time…she felt something was up.

'Was he trying to hold hands?'

The thought upset her, for she hoped it didn't mean what she thought it meant. Luckily, someone from the kitchen came and interrupted, sparing her from having to respond to the third time their hands touched. With a quick "Good-bye," she dashed off for the kitchens—her safe haven, for once.

Her tired feet dragged her to her room. As she was about to enter it, she spotted a note on the floor. Bending down, she grabbed it and opened it. "It's from Ken." She read it to herself, frowning. "He wants me to come, at this hour?" Her head hung down, resigning herself to the fact that she won't be sleeping just yet.

Grabbing a candle from her room, she hauled herself to his room. "He better be quick," she muttered darkly.

Looking at his directions, she made sure she was going the right way, double checking it since her eyes were drooping and worn-out. Her candle flickered as she moved; the hallways still a little dark despite the moonlight streaming from the windows.

Finally arriving at his door, she raised a hand to knock, but paused when she sensed something—magic.

Her hand with the note moved over the door, eyes noticing nothing strange. When she felt something around the handle of the door, she stopped. Her now aware eyes glowed slightly, concentrating.

When she looked at the doorknob, some reddish magic appeared. It slowly unraveled into a rose, glittering around the handle.

Sora dropped the note and candle.

Her eyes were glued to the rose, shaking her head. Hastily, she picked up the items, backing away from the door. When she felt like it was safe to turn her back, she did, and ran the rest of the way to her room.

The next day she avoided Ken; and the day after that, and then the day after that.

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End of chapter.


	17. Chapter 17

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The guest stables rumbled with noises, the animals awake and hungry.

Sora made her way to the chimera's pen, passing by horses, mules and a few other magical creatures. The Pegasus snorted, flapping its ivory wings. She patted its head in sympathy.

"You're restless and tired of being cooped up, aren't you?" It nudged her hand. She sighed. "I feel the same way. I hope your caretaker comes soon to let you stretch out for a bit."

Sora felt around her pocket for a sugar cube. Finding one, she held it up for the creature, its mouth felt around her hand to grasp it, tickling her palm. She giggled.

Moving on, she picked up her basket of fresh meat. Most of the time, she'd be alone in the stables, except for a stable hand here and there. Though, every once in a while she'd find children looking at the animals, enchanted by the magical and non-magical alike.

Today, there was a young boy standing by the chimera's pen. From his clothing, she gathered that he was a noble.

"Hello," she greeted.

The boy blinked, before a smile appeared on his face. 'Oh good, he responded back!' She wondered if he would or if he'd just ignore her. Some of the children she'd run into were already snobbish with the servants, acting like miniature versions of some of the adults.

She reached the pen, placing the basket down in order to open the stall. "Do you want to see the chimera?" He grinned, "Yep! My father got it as a gift to me! We found a vender on the way to Lord Hamilton's castle, which is why it's here with us."

Sora smiled, "Is that so? Well, it's a beautiful creature. Did you pick it out yourself?"

As Sora entered the enclosure, the boy followed, "It's not 'beautiful,' that's a girl word! It's-it's" his hands flitted about, trying to describe his pet, "majestic! I picked it out, looking for that quality!"

Sora giggled behind a hand.

"You made a fine choice," she cut off, realizing she didn't know his name. She extended a hand out, "Before we continue, I'm Sora." The boy shook her hand. For his introduction, he snapped his heels together, bowing at the waist, "I'm Jerrid, second son of the House of Cendrine." Sora took the ends of her skirts and curtseyed. "Pleased to meet you."

Formalities settled and done, they went back to talking. The chimera happily ripped into its meal, making a strange sound between a chirrup and a purr.

The scaled tail of the chimera caught Sora's attention, reminding her of her other task to do—the issue of the letters was put on hold after "The Incident" with Ken a few nights ago, along with the fact that whoever had the probable letter would most likely be carrying it _with_ them.

'I wonder…'

Deciding to give it a try, Sora turned to address the boy. "Say, Jerrid, do you know anything about serpents?"

He looked up, excited, "Sure! What do you want to know?"

Trying to keep calm, Sora started, "Well, I guess I want to know their habits, like where they sleep, how they act, that kind of stuff."

Jerrid sat back on his heels, making himself comfortable.

"Serpents like to eat mice and other creatures like that. Some have venom in their fangs, but not all of them. They can open their mouths really wide," his arm spread out to demonstrate, "and they just swallow their food whole! I've seen them do it; you can see the lump move down their throat!"

Sora mentally gagged at the imagery, but exclaimed in surprise to show that she was listening.

"I've noticed that they really aren't active in the cold. In the wintertime, my serpents refuse to move around as much, if at all."

He looked around the pen, assessing something, "We keep them in an area about this size. When the sun comes through the windows, I've seen them rest in the light for a little, but then they slither back into the shade. I guess they don't like too much heat; but then again, I don't either."

Sora grinned at his last statement, "I think we all dislike being in the heat for too long."

He grinned back, "That's true! You should see my sister in the summertime! Just walking from the carriage to the front door gets her in a terrible mood; she gets all sweaty and red like a tomato."

Sora truly laughed for the first time since coming back—one that was filled with mirth and not an attempt at concealment.

'How I would like to see Miss Berry Juice Harpy in such a state!'

TM

Another day ended, the sun finding rest beyond the hills.

As she dried her hair, Sora thought about what Jerrid said that morning. "Serpents stay dormant in the cold." She thought about how the curse felt, how it seemed to chill the very blood in her veins just by being in proximity of the curse. "That's probably why it hasn't grown or shrunk; the curse itself is in its own hibernation."

Placing her towel along the back of a chair, she grabbed a comb from her desk, making her way towards the fire. Sitting on the ottoman she brushed her hair, letting the fire dry it as she ran the comb through.

"I wonder…he said that the serpents he's seen like some heat, but move away from it after a while…so maybe we can heat up the curse and get it out of her body." She wasn't sure what they could do to heat it up and what would they do once it was active. 'How do we get it out of her? Or can we heat it up to a temperature that it would be destroyed without hurting Layla?'

An earlier memory filled her mind—the first time she felt the curse, 'My magic feels warm when I use it, and so that's probably what awakened it momentarily that one time. Maybe my magic can overheat it.'

A frightening thought stilled her.

'What if the active curse just spreads?'

She thought about how when she examined the curse, her hands got too close, causing the curse to snap at her fingers. 'It reacted so quickly; who knows what would happen when it feels fully threatened. My magic may agitate it too much before I can destroy it.'

"So it has to be something faster than the curse." She frowned. "But what could generate enough heat to destroy it before it attacks her from the inside?"

Silence filled her room as she thought.

After a while, Sora threw her hands in the air. "That's enough for tonight. I'm too tired to think." She put away her comb and then dragged herself to the bed.

Sleepily she thought about Leon, wondering how he was doing. 'Hopefully, he's made more progress than I have.'

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The town near the castle was filled with people trying to get their business done before the day ended.

For her break before suppertime, Sora weaved through the crowd, looking for the place that housed the carrier pigeons. Before they parted, Leon told her that if he were to send a message, he'd do it via the carrier pigeons. He knew and trusted the owner in his town to get the message through. Sora, in turn, told him the town to send it to.

She wasn't sure how far his home was, so she didn't check the first days here. Now, though, it has been almost three weeks since they saw each other. 'And only two more days until my punishment ends!'

The butcher was kind enough to tell her where it was, and told her to tell the owner that he sent her over. Apparently, they were relatives. She wondered if the butcher sold pigeon meat; she'll have to check the next time she visited him. 'If he does, I think I've figured out who his supplier is.'

She stopped in front of a shop with the outline of a bird and a scroll carved into a wooden sign.

Sora entered, and found the place a flutter of birds and people moving about. Ringing filled her ears along with the cooing of the pigeons. She noticed that when the birds landed, they entered a little hollow in the walls with a wooden perch. A bell was tied to each perch that would ring when a bird landed on it. Apprentices were stationed for every flock, untying messages and placing them in a pile to be sorted out by other apprentices. The other side of the shop had people giving messages to be sent. The man passed the messages going out to another set of apprentices in charge of tying the scrolls to the pigeons' legs.

'How do they keep everything in order? It must be a very efficient system.'

She stepped up to the table where people were giving messages, thinking that it would be better to ask there then the table with those sorting the messages out. 'They're too busy to answer questions.'

When it was her turn, she mentioned that the butcher directed her here, and that she was looking for a message for a "Sora" sent from the Passel's pigeon house.

The man called for an apprentice, passing on her information.

With no one behind her, the man started some small talk as she waited, "So, my brother-in-law sent you, did he? Whatever did you do to get him to talk about something other than meat?"

She lowered her head slightly. "I, um, tripped and spilled some sugar cubes from my pocket. One slid under the table, making him slip with the knife in his hand. When he whipped his arms out to catch his hand on the counter, he accidently cut off half of his mustache. We talked after that."

The pigeon master laughed whole heartedly. "So you're the one that caused him to trim his mustache so short! Haha! He had it long for quite some time; I'm surprised he didn't accidently cut it earlier."

Sora covered her face in embarrassment.

Thankfully, the apprentice came back with a wooden box. "Here are the Passel messages." The apprentice looked near the end of the scroll line-up, pulling one out. He gave it to his master.

"Alright, thank you." The apprentice left, taking the box with him.

"Here you go, young lady."

Sora took it, opening it to see if it was from Leon. Spotting his name at the bottom, she rolled it back up. She smiled, "This is it. Thank you. How much do I owe you?"

The master waved the question away, "A friend of my brother-in-law is a friend of mine."

She tried to protest, but he wouldn't budge. Sighing, she wondered what she could give him as payment. A childish thought ran through her mind.

"Well, if not money, then how about a treat?"

The master stuck his hand out, curious, "That suits me just fine."

She smiled—a glimmer of mischief in her eyes. Sora placed a sugar cube onto his palm.

Loud chortling filled the shop, his other hand slapping the table in humor.

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That night, when Sora retired to her room, she sat at her small desk with a candle lit.

She couldn't read Leon's message earlier due to the fact that when she returned, someone had dropped a table's main course, throwing everyone in a frenzy to come up with a solution. The Head Chef decided that one table would have to make do with a pheasant dish instead of a roasted pig.

Then, they had to go over the issue of whose table would be the one with the pheasant dish.

They drew straws and, surprise-surprise, Sora came up with the short stick. She was starting to doubt whether or not these so called "random" methods were truly the luck of the draw. So for suppertime, she had to endure the complaints of her table for not receiving the pig. Some were fine with the pheasant, but it always seems like the few complainers seemed the loudest and stuck with her more. 'Why can't the nice things stick with me rather than the bad?"

She sighed, pushing aside the supper fiasco.

Unrolling his letter, she read:

Sora,

I am fine, but Alen has yet to rouse. Cottage was burnt, not much to salvage.

Take care,

Leon

Her eyes were sorrowful. The loss of his home must have hit him hard. She recalled his grip on her when they first heard May's message. Sorrow turned into anger at the thought of the witch. 'She has much to be held accountable for.'

She looked it over again, eyebrows drawing together. Puzzled, she rolled up the little scroll. 'Who is this Alen? Is he a friend of Leon's and why was he injured—is it related to the cottage or is it a separate issue?'

Pulling out a parchment, she ripped it, using Leon's message as an indicator of how big the little scroll should be. She thought about what she could ask and say: about Alen and the curses, how to convey to him that she missed him, and how she wanted to help. Finally, she found the words.

Grabbing the quill, she dipped it in ink, writing.

Dear Leon,

Should we meet? It can be at a halfway point.

Stay safe,

Sora

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Her last two days of serving crawled agonizingly slow and was a bit awkward at certain points.

Prince Yuri had received a letter from one of his men. The contents were not revealed, however, he was compelled to go back as soon as he could. The night before he left, Lord Hamilton threw a feast in his honor, extending it to all members of his entourage—including Ken.

Ken usually took his meals with the Hamilton's fairy aides—Sora took hers with the servants, seeing as the fairy aides ate at the times she was busy. Unfortunately, Ken would be in the main hall for the feast. Sora could only avoid contact for so long, seeing as she was serving in that hall.

As she passed his table, Ken used his wand to slip a note into her apron pocket.

Sora felt it, and swiftly disposed of it in the kitchen fires.

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Early the next morning, Sora found Ken waiting in the hallway that led to the kitchens. He straightened up, expecting her to stop at his presence. She merely walked around him. Ken frowned, following her.

"Sora, I need to talk to you."

She continued on.

He sped up and walked backwards in order to face her. "Why didn't you come that night or respond to my message?"

Sora sighed. "I think my absence and lack of a note speak for themselves."

Ken stopped—Sora decided she needed to as well. "I _don't_ understand."

Steeling her nerves, she spoke, "Ken, you've been a good friend to me, but that's all I see you as. I talked and ate with you as a fellow fairy aide, nothing more."

His frown deepened.

"But you sought me out; you gave me food and pastries! Surely, you did all of this, driven by feelings beyond friendship."

Sora's face was sympathetic, "I'm sorry Ken, but that's all it was and it's all it's _ever_ going to be."

"Don't-," He ran a hand through his hair in an agitated manner, "Don't put it like that, Sora. You make it seem so final."

She bit her lip, "Ken, I don't think—"

"Just stop," Ken interrupted, making her eyes widen, "Don't say 'ever.' You can say, 'Right now,' or 'At this point in time,' but not 'ever.' Just…think about it."

Sora swallowed, but did and said nothing else.

After a few moments of silence, she spoke, "I hope your party travels safely." Not waiting for a response, she walked away.

Ken stared at the spot she was standing in.

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The pigeon house was calm that afternoon.

She entered, still feeling gloomy after her talk with Ken that morning. Thankfully, they already left, but Sora hoped he would realize that she just didn't feel that way about him—couldn't imagine him in the way he wanted her to. She sighed, not knowing what else she could do about it.

The master greeted her and had some tea brought out. She cheered up a little.

Sora chatted with the master for a bit before she brought out the scroll she wanted to send. Seeing her scroll, the master jumped out of his seat. "Oh, yes! That reminds me!"

He excused himself, disappearing into the back room.

The master came back with a box spilling with scrolls. "These," he explained, "are the scrolls we get that are a little difficult to read. Sometimes it's because of the weather, the person wrote it in a hurry, or just bad penmanship. Or it's a mix of two or more of those scenarios."

He rustled around, finding a scroll.

"Now, I could be mistaken, but I believe this one is for you." He looked at the back, "Yep. It came from the Passel house. Would you take a look and see if the sender is someone you recognize?"

She took it, setting her tea cup down.

"The writing's a little smeared, but I believe this is my sender's signature at the bottom."

"Well then! Did you want to read that first before you send your new message?" Sora agreed, letting her eyes make out the words.

'This first part is hard to read, but looks like it starts with a "t." The rest was even worse, so she stuck with figuring out that word. Her lips moved, silently mouthing out the letters. Her eyes widened, 'It's the word "trouble." ' Her heart clenched. 'Does he need my help?'

She turned back to the master, "Do you know when this came in?"

He gestured for the scroll's tie. "We have a different tie for every day of the week that way we know what day it was sent. Then, we put them in certain boxes according to what week we received them. Judging by these things, I'd say it was three days ago."

"Three?" She paled. 'That means he must have sent it soon after the first one!'

"Is something the matter, Sora? You're very pale! Should I call for some water?"

She shook her head. "No, but I would like to borrow a quill and some ink, if you please." The master readily supplied them. Opening the ink jar, she paused, "How far is the Passel house from here?"

He hummed, stroking his chin. "Quite a bit of a distance—at least five or six days on foot."

Sora bit her lip, "Do you know what places are halfway?" He scrunched up his face, "Not off hand, but give me a moment." He pulled a map out from a drawer, muttering to himself. "Let me see…There's the Passel house, and here's us…I would say Eveet Town and Moscid Village lie halfway."

Crossing out her previous message she wrote:

Leon,

I'll meet you near Eveet Town. Look for my magic.

Sora

She rolled up her message and the master sent it out with his fastest pigeon.

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Ash and stone.

That was all that was left of his home. The wooden beams and thatched roof were probably the first things to go. He stood where the wooden staircase used to be, lifting a hand to touch a phantom beam.

Leon recalled watching his mother painting some leaves and flowers along the beams, showing Sophie how to mix the paints to get certain colors. Twin pairs of blue eyes turned to him, asking if he wanted to help. He declined, preferring to watch from the upper steps.

Painting really wasn't his forte.

After his mother died, he took up wood carving. In her memory, he carved some of her favorite wild flowers while Sophie added bundles of berries. It was calming for the both of them.

Leon's hand dropped as the memory faded.

Stone and ash.

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At his entrance, Alen looked up from his meal.

"Did you find anything?"

Leon shrugged, dropping his sack on the table. "Some keepsakes we kept under a stone on the ground level; mother's book and a few trinkets."

Alen's face grew solemn. He knew those would not replace the loss.

He shakily stood up, mindful of his ribs and his arm in a sling. Alen walked over and placed a hand on Leon's shoulder. "Buildings can be broken down, burnt, and destroyed. Memories, now those stay and those are the things that matter the most. Not wood and stone."

"Memories can fade," Leon responded quietly, "That's when having mementos really count."

His mind drifted to early childhood memories, before Sophie was born. He saw a garden with roses of every color, his pregnant mother smelling an orange rose. A man comes up behind her, embracing her; her hands circle around his. The man reaches his hands up to pluck the rose she smelled and puts it in her long braid. His mother smiles, looking radiant with the splash of color in her light colored hair.

He no longer remembers the face of the man, but he could only assume it was his father.

Alen removed his hand from Leon's shoulder, pulling him back from his memories. "Then it's best to remember while you can, and create as many new memories as possible. If you have many, then you're bound to remember the things that are important to you."

Leon thought of Sophie, his mother, and his first days in Alen's shop.

At the mention of new memories, Sora came in multiple facets. When she smiled, when she grew angry, when she blushed, when she shivered from his touch and her eyes lidding from the sensation…

He took a breath to steady himself.

Back in his seat, Alen observed Leon, noticing the medallion around his neck. Before he took a sip from his cup, he casually asked, "Some memories are worth the effort, no?"

Leon stayed silent.

Alen put the cup back down. "Memories of that variety tend to be worth it." Silence. He probed some more, "An unforgettable lady has the habit of doing that to a man."

Leon arched a brow, "Why don't you just ask me upfront."

He gave a roguish grin. "Now, where's the fun in that?" Alen's grin grew cocky, "Besides, I know the answer."

Deciding to end the conversation, Leon spoke, "You said you would tell me what happened when I returned from the cottage."

Alen's grin sobered. "The cottage, I do not know. I am sorry, Leon."

He shook his head, "I know what destroyed the cottage. What I want to know is why you were beaten up. You were passed out for quite a while, according to the Passels."

Alen sighed, "I'll get straight to it: the King is not pleased with your progress. He sent men to…kindly inform you of that, since they don't know how to reach you. Knowing my connection with your family, they came here."

Alen leaned forward to look at Leon.

"The King wants you to come in order to discuss the deal. If you don't…what's in his safekeeping will experience an unfortunate accident of a permanent nature."

Leon shot up, palms slamming the table in anger.

His eyes blazed with fury. "That wretched, conniving louse of a man; I knew he couldn't be trusted!"

Alen stayed seated, "I had my doubts as well, but we really didn't have any other options at the time. Neither one of us have the power to deal with that sort of issue."

Leon sneered, "Yes, unfortunately for us."

He paced next to the table, thinking. "I had planned to remove her from there, especially now that I found a fairy to help, but with this threat…I'm not sure if it will be easy to get her out of there."

He stopped to face Alen. "But it must be done. I have very few clues about the missing prince. It would not be enough to appease the King. Did he say how long I have to appear?"

Alen took the time to calculate it, "Well, since they came, and then I was out this long or so…By the end of next week."

Leon sighed in relief. "That's more than I thought it would be. Thankfully, it's the beginning of this week."

Trying to alleviate the tension, Alen smirked, gesturing to the medallion, "So this fairy you found…Did she give you that medal? It's not something I can see you getting, that much is certain. You're not the type to be buying yourself necklaces."

Leon's hand reached up to grasp it.

His face grew thoughtful. Snapping out of it, he went to the desk, pulling out a paper. Hastily, he undid the ink lid. 'I sent her a message already, but hopefully she'll come to check when both arrive.' Dipping the quill into the ink, he started to write, the ink spilling out thickly.

Sora,

Sophie is in trouble.

Leon

He rolled up the little scroll, not giving the ink enough time to dry. Quickly, he made his way to the pigeon house before they closed for the day, leaving a befuddled Alen behind in the small house.

'It will take a while for her to get the messages and then for her response to arrive. In the meantime, I will search for information regarding the prince.'

Leon set out in the early dawn of the next day.

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End of chapter.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

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The tavern was bustling.

The place smelled of bitter alcohol and an old muskiness, no doubt due to the age of the building. Rancor laughter cut through the fiddling that previously filled the dimly lit room, making Leon frown.

He weaved his way to the bar counter, hoping to make his visit a short one.

Leon ordered a drink, placing a few coins on the table. While he waited, he perused the room, looking for his targets. He heard that the men frequent this place almost every night, so the odds of him finding them were quite good.

His drink arrived with a thud, slightly spilling over the sides.

He grabbed the handle, sipping the drink. It burned his throat and slowly heated his body—he welcomed the feeling. Not wanting to dull his senses too much, he deliberately nursed his drink, waiting.

The door to the tavern slammed open and a group of soldiers entered, laughing and slapping each other on the back.

"Bendrik, you dog! Go get us some drinks!"

A youth peeled away from the group, doing just that. He clumsily plopped himself on the barstool a seat away from Leon. As Bendrik stammered out his order, Leon eyed the young man, assessing him. A near savage smirk appeared on his face, quickly being covered by his mug as Leon took a drink. 'I believe I have found my victim.'

"So," Leon casually started, "You wear the Crest of King Volaire's House; I assume that means you men work for royalty, correct? It must be challenging; thrilling, I would say."

Bendrik turned to Leon, a grin appearing on his youthful face. 'Too easy.'

TM

The night progressed into the late hours.

Leon let out a laugh, watching a very intoxicated Bendrik try to tell his tale.

"Ands—ands then…youuuu know wha' he says to meee? He says—he says tha' ruuule only applies to piiigsss!" At that, Bendrik breaks down into hysterical laughter.

Leon mentally rolled his eyes. 'I think it's safe to start now…actually, I would have started three stories ago, but he wouldn't stop talking.'

"Very interesting story, I admit." He took a drink, faking a pause as if a thought occurred to him.

"Say…you're King Volaire's soldier, yet you're not in his kingdom. Why is that?"

The young man's face filled with childish glee. He leaned closer, the smell of alcohol heavily on his breath, "Noticed tha' did ya? We be on a quesssst, you seeee."

His voice lowered, hand coming up to cover the side of his mouth, "Have ya heard abou' th' princce?" At Leon's nod, he continued, "Well, mos' 'ave, but wha' they don' knows iss wha' we knows."

As Leon expressed interest, Bendrik's face grew excited.

"Ya seeee, we done search th' area where th' princce was to be huntin'. Usually, he be goin' alone. Got a temper, tha' one. Bu' we finds another gamin' pac', soo he wasn' alonee!"

Leon allowed some surprise show on his face. 'That must be Prince Yuri's pack. I figured that much. Sophie said that Prince Yuri was with a man with the King's Crest on his pack, but he didn't look like a soldier. Her description of the man matched with the royal family.'

But what Bendrik said next really did surprise him.

"Ands we 'ad a fairy from th' castllle come take a loo'. She said—she said she be feelin' two types of magic: one be faint ands pretty-like ands th' second isss most aboundan'; be dark ands chillin'."

"Two different traces of magic?"

"Yeeessss…mighty straaaange. We finds th' mystery partnerrr, we be findin' th' magic users!"

Leon watched as Bendrik's companions came over, messing his hair and dragging him out the door. Bendrik hollered out to him and Leon nodded in his direction.

'The first one is Sophie's, but the second one…'

He finished off his drink and left the tavern. Leon wrapped his cloak around him, heading for the woods surrounding the town. His eyes darkened as he thought about what he learned.

'Will I never be rid of that witch?'

TM

The air in the forest felt refreshing to her lungs.

Sora breathed it in, a smile on her face. 'How I've missed being outside!' Her arms stretched up above her head as if to touch the clouds. "Hello, sky!"

She laughed, giving a small twirl.

For weeks she had been stuck in the castle, cleaning and serving in the meal hall. She couldn't even make her wings appear for a quick flight around the gardens, since her mentor took her wand away. Thankfully, she served her time, receiving her wand back.

She pushed her hair out of her face. 'I'm just glad I was able to talk her into letting me go.'

When Sora requested permission to go follow a lead regarding the cure to the curse, her mentor scoffed, thinking it would be a waste of time. But after repeatedly pestering her, she caved in, claiming that it would at least give the castle some peace and quiet with Sora's absence.

Though, the main purpose of this journey was to help out Leon.

While she would be discussing her ideas about Layla's cure and asking for some advice, Sora was very concerned about what happened with him. 'Did the witch or serpent attack him? Was he fatally injured?'

She frowned. "I hope that's not the case."

Sora pulled out the map, deciphering how far away she was. "Not too long now. I should be there around dusk."

As she folded it back up she wondered if Leon got her message. Sora decided that she would wait around for a few days before heading over to the town where the Passel pigeon house was. The pigeon master marked the location for her.

She continued to walk, letting her mind wander.

TM

The sky darkened as she reached the town.

Tired, she set out to find a tree to sleep in, taking a page from Leon's book of safety measures. Being so near civilization, there could be robbers or people walking through the forest causing trouble. She wasn't comfortable sleeping on the ground level.

Sora climbed the tree, finding a crook in some branches to sleep in. She used her wand to angle the branches comfortably, as well as to hide her from those who would look up.

She used her pack as a pillow, falling asleep.

TM

Two nights she waited.

On the morning of the third day, she decided to make her way to the Passel pigeon house. Sighing, she checked her pack, noticing she needed some more food soon. Sora eyed the town, deciding on whether or not to get them there or in the forest.

She shrugged.

'Why not? I might not get the chance to see this town again.'

This time, she remembered to change her tunic back into a dress. For her hair, she settled for a ponytail. Some of the shorter strands slipped out of the tie, falling along her cheeks.

Making sure she brought coins with her, she made her way into town.

TM

Leon was positive that the drinks from last night must be affecting him more than he thought they would.

He stood amongst the venders in the street market, shaking his head.

'It couldn't be.'

Leon moved along, musing what just happened. 'I must miss her more than I thought. There's no possible way she would be in this town; she's back at the castle with her ward.'

He grabbed a loaf of bread, checking its freshness. Unwillingly, his eyes drifted to his left, catching the colorful hair of the young woman a few stalls away.

'Though, it might be her. That hair color is not common.' She stood with her face turned away from his eyes, irritating him. 'It's possible she received my messages and decided to come find me. This town is on the way to my town. A pigeon master could tell her where the Passel house lies.'

His eyes narrowed as he spotted a traveling pack by her feet.

Leon looked back up, scrutinizing her attire. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, falling between her shoulder blades. She wore a dress of a dark maroon color, making her hair and skin stand out. The high collar was white with a bit of white trimming along her sleeves.

'I have not seen her in a dress before, or with her hair tied back, but that doesn't mean she couldn't be dressed that way.' He noticed that, if this happened to be Sora, her skin wasn't as tan as before. 'She must have been in the castle most of her time back.'

Leon couldn't stand it anymore. He paid for his bread and made his way over.

TM

Sora eyed the fruit skeptically.

"So you're saying that a medium bag of these berries costs the same as this small sized bag of apples?"

The vender nodded eagerly. "Yes! It's a bargain you won't find at any other stall!"

She peered inside the apples bag, not seeing anything wrong with them. 'I guess that does sound good, but why do I get the feeling that I'm being scammed? These prices can't be good for his business.' She was doing the same thing with the berries, but as she reached a hand out to pick a berry up for a closer look, the vender stopped her.

"Ah! Please, do not touch the merchandise!"

Suspicious of his sudden reprimand, she questioned warily, "Why can't I take a closer look at it?"

Before either one could respond, an arm reached over her shoulder to grab a few berries. The owner was in hysterics. Sora was about to turn her head to look at who was behind her when his voice had her frozen in place.

"Probably because he doesn't want you to realize that he's ripping you off. Some of these berries are non-edible. I'd say half of the bag is filled with these." At the volume of the owner's denial, he amended, "More like most of the bag."

A few of the other customers at the stall dropped the bag they were holding. As his arm passed over her shoulder to put the berries back, she felt him press against her. Sora gripped his arm, turning herself to face him.

"Leon!"

His eyes warmed at the sight of her. Her own honey eyes danced with joy, her smile big and bright framed by her uniquely colored hair.

The other customers at the stall began to yell at the owner, breaking the moment. His hand slid into hers, pulling her away. She quickly picked up her pack.

"Let us talk somewhere else."

TM

The town was behind them, the buzzing of the market a scene far in the past.

Sora watched as his hair, back in a low ponytail, swayed as he moved them into the forest. It was their safe haven, a place where they found one another and felt comfort enough to be expressive with each other. She had thought what she would say to him when they would meet again, but now, as he stopped to face her, she felt like those words would no longer work.

She walked up and embraced him. His arms came around her, returning it.

Leon's head came down to rest against her cheek. He murmured, "I'm glad you are here."

Sora nuzzled his cheek. "I missed you too."

They pulled apart to see each other, but stayed in a loose embrace. "Did you get my message?"

Leon shook his head, "No, I have been away for days. Since you are here, I am assuming you received my messages?"

Sora nodded, but gripped his waist as she remembered his messages, "Yes! Are you alright? You're not injured are you?" She looked him over, her hands lightly running along his sides to feel for bandages.

At his reassurance, she pinched his side. Leon quirked a brow at her behavior.

"That's what you get for writing me such a sloppy message! I could barely read the word 'trouble' you troll of a jerk!"

He shook his head, "I apologize. I was in a hurry."

Sora calmed, biting her lip. "So, what _did_ the message say?" Leon moved them under a tree, sitting down. He leaned back, his pack propping him at an angle. She lifted her chin up on his chest to look at him. He summed up the issue.

When he finished, Sora's eyes were filled with concern. His hand ran through the hair around her face, trying to calm her—the action relaxed him as well.

"S-So, by agreeing to look for the missing prince, your king allowed the use of his fairy aides to look after Sophie." She pursed her lips, "Were you worried about May finding Sophie while you searched for information, is that why you left her in his care?"

Leon sighed, his hand resting along her cheek.

"Yes, and I had hoped that the fairy aides would know what was wrong with her. When it became apparent that they were about as clueless as I was, I decided to look for the witch, putting the search for the missing prince aside."

He closed his eyes for a moment. "I didn't plan on keeping Sophie there. It was to be a temporary place, but I took longer than I had expected…and longer than the king had wanted."

His eyes opened, his thumb rubbing her cheek, "Sora, do you think you can help me get Sophie out, if the king is unwilling to release her? While I do have new information, I'm not certain it will be enough to appease the king."

Sora felt touched that he would ask. "Of course I will!"

Her lips parted, about to say more, when she realized something. Her smile faded. "Did…your meeting me extend your trip too long?" Her brows furrowed as the trueness of her words sunk in. She murmured out loud in thought. "It must have…you looked after me for days when I was out, and then I was wounded, slowing you down."

Her heart clenched, realizing what she had done.

"Leon, I am so sorry! I-I prolonged your journey; causing the king to hurt your friend Alen in anger, and to-to threaten Sophie-!" She cut off, feeling her throat stinging with guilt. Sora sat up, drawing herself away from Leon. His hand dropped from her face.

He followed her, sitting up. When she refused to look at him, he turned her face, "Sora, look at me."

Her watery eyes met his.

"Understand this: the king is not the most patient of men; he would have gotten upset over something else if it wasn't for the amount of time I have spent searching. He would have found my information lacking, or some other nonsense like that. You did not cause him to lash out at Alen or threaten Sophie."

"And I do not blame you for my extended journey; I was injured as well, if you recall. We learned so much about the curses, so our time was not a waste." He brought her face close, voice lowering, "Those days with you were extraordinary; and I will not have you regretting them."

"Truly?" she whispered, her breath tickling his face.

He nodded, their noses bumping into each other. She giggled lightly; bringing a small smile on his lips. Sora's hand fiddled with his hair, following the ponytail up to his neck. Leon leaned their foreheads together. "I really have missed you," she quietly repeated the sentiment.

He hummed in agreement, tilting her face upwards for a kiss.

The contact incited her; Sora pushed up, deeply kissing him. Leon let out an exhale, which was cut off by Sora's mouth. Her heart pounded loudly, blood rushing all over her body. Her hand slid down to lay over his heart, feeling his responding like her own. His arm pulled her closer, adding even more heat to their bodies.

Sora slightly faltered, Leon continued moving his mouth. She brushed her lips against him, testing something. He cupped her face, thumbs feeling her smooth skin.

'I feel very warm…feverish…hea—HEATED!'

She abruptly pulled away, gasping, "A KISS!" Sora excitedly proclaimed, "That's a source of heat that could break it!"

Leon caught his breath, staring at her. He wasn't sure what she was telling—shouting—at him, but he did notice the state she was in. Her honey eyes were slightly glazed over from the kiss and her lips were a darker pink, bordering on red.

"Later," he lowly rumbled out, his eyes filling up with blue fire. Without saying anything else, he slanted his mouth over hers swallowing any other words she was going to say. Her hands gripped his tunic to steady herself.

As his hand released her ponytail to tangle in her hair, she realized maybe some things were better left for another time.

His hand fisted her hair, bringing her mouth deeper into his. She mewled, the sound lost in the kiss.

'"Later" sounds _really_ good.'

TM

Nighttime fell upon them.

They took the time to relocate themselves further into the forest. Sora started a small fire while Leon set their mat down and a fur blanket. When he finished, he came in front of her, leaning down for another kiss. She brought her hands around his neck, clinging to him as he moved them to the mat.

Sora shared a few more kisses with him before she moved her head away, hands coming up to cradle his face. "You said I could explain 'later,' and 'later' is now."

He softly snorted. "I suppose it is." Leon placed a kiss on her lips before releasing her. Sora sat in front of him, deciding where to start.

"I told my mentor about what I learned from May about the curse." His brow quirked, causing her to add in, "I didn't say anything about Sophie or you. I wasn't sure if you would be comfortable with people knowing about what happened with May and your family."

He nodded his head in appreciation.

"These past few weeks, my mentor kept me away from the discussions about the curse. My leaving earned me some punishment. Though, even if I hadn't left without conferring with her, I still think she wouldn't want me to be in the conferences."

She let out a tight smile. "She doesn't exactly value my opinion, you see."

Her face evened out again. "But I still want to help; Layla is my friend and ward. So, I thought that maybe looking at serpent behavior would be a clue about figuring out the nature of the curse, since it looks and acts like a serpent." She leaned forward, the action unconsciously being mimicked by Leon, "Serpents don't care for long periods of heat, and I thought that maybe if we heat up the curse somehow, we can destroy it. But I couldn't figure out a way to do that."

Her eyes lit up, smiling shyly, "That's why, when we kissed, I realized that a kiss heats up the body quickly and readily—especially the heart where the curse is."

Leon smiled, shaking his head at her. "Well, I'm flattered to have helped you figure that out." His eyes slightly glowed. "Do let me know if you need that sort of _assistance_ again. I'll be more than pleased to aid you." Sora blushed, covering her face.

His smile waned, growing serious. "Teasing aside, there is one thing that worries me about this information."

Sora uncovered her face, giving him her attention.

"Can two different curses have the same cure?"

Sora swallowed, "That's right. You said that 'true love's kiss' is Sophie's cure." She grabbed his hand, a little hesitant to tell him what occurred to her. "Then, maybe her curse isn't like Aurora's from 'The Sleeping Beauty'; maybe her cure is something else."

"Perhaps; but then why would the witch tell me to seek out Prince Yuri?"

She bit her lip. "Maybe she wanted you to get him interested in Sophie again."

He sighed, "That's another possibility."

Sora brought her other hand to hold his free hand. "Well, maybe curses can have the same cures, especially if the cure is very strong."

Leon looked at their hands, wishing he could think as positively as she did. "But can the same person give the 'Kiss Cure' to two separate people?"

Her eyes widened.

"I hadn't thought of that," she whispered, feeling conflicted.

She wanted both to awaken, but Yuri seemed to be the answer for both Sophie and Layla. 'If we have to choose, which one will we awaken first? And then, what do we do about the other? What if Yuri can't awaken the second one?'

She felt her anger rise, thinking about the one responsible for all of this.

"May, you old, heartless hag!"

Leon chuckled. 'Fairy curse words are more hilarious than intimidating.'

He sobered, seeing her severe frown and drooping head.

For once, he would be the positive one.

Leon squeezed her hands, bringing her head back up. "We do not know anything for certain. Perhaps there is another cure for either one. You still need to take a look at Sophie; maybe then we can resolve this issue." Her brows relaxed at his words.

"That's true." Her eyes softened, smiling at him. "Thank you Leon, for reminding me." She got up onto her knees and gave him a peck on the lips.

"So, what's our plan?"

Leon thought for a bit. "I need to make an appearance to King Volaire, so we need to travel to his courts. The journey is about three days. Once there, we should have a few days to plan out a way to get Sophie out as a back-up plan if my conversation with the king doesn't end well."

Sora nodded, letting out a yawn.

At his look, she explained, "I know it's still a little early, but I slept in the trees for two nights. I'm, um, not used to it."

He smirked, "It's not something you can learn in a few days."

She pouted. "Well, I didn't want to waste my money on a room and I didn't think sleeping on the ground level would be a good idea, seeing as I was so close to a town."

He agreed with her thinking.

Sora shooed him off the mat, peeling back the blanket and slipping under it. She lay on her side, eyes closing. They opened when she felt his arm around her waist and his warm body at her back. She twisted her head to look at him.

"You don't have to go to sleep yet; it's still kind of early."

He shrugged, "I have not been sleeping as well as I should have. My body needs the rest."

With that said, she leaned back into him, laying her arm across his. The warmth from the blanket and his body made her sleepy. Sora vaguely felt him curl himself a little, burying his face into her hair. He nudged some hair aside; frowning slightly when he saw the high collar covering her neck. He switched targets, placing a kiss on her jaw instead of her neck.

Sora murmured drowsily, her hand caressing his own.

Leon settled his head back down. The smell of lavender lulled him into a serene state, falling fast asleep.

TM

TM

TM

AN: There's a lot going on; and much to be resolved! Things will be addressed in the coming chapters. (hopefully) But feel free to ask questions; maybe there was something that I wasn't clear about, and I will try to clarify.


	19. Chapter 19

Edit as of 9/30/2013: I fixed some discrepancies and smoothed out certain scenes near the second half of the chapter. It flows better now!

TM

TM

TM

They walked through the forest, but not exactly like the last time they traveled together.

It had been two nights since they've met each other again. They were still side by side, occasionally brushing hands.

The first day she placed her hand in his, though his grip was very loose and his face solemn. It made her second guess her action, thinking that maybe he needed some space. However, when she started to remove her hand, he brought it back.

Unsure of what to do, she talked—hoping something she said interested him or cheered him up, if only momentarily.

Sora was certain that Leon probably wouldn't be joining her in the conversation—not that he spoke much before.

She was right; Leon nodded every so often, but remained silent.

It unnerved her a bit to see him like this. 'He seems so tired.' Sora took a side glance to see his face. His eyes were grey; barely any of the blue in his eyes stood out. His mouth was not a firm line, but it slightly drooped down.

'It's like the curse has been slowly whittling his energy away; though the king is also to blame, not just May.'

She recalled their dinner last night. Leon had fished, gutted, descaled and cooked without saying a word. He rotated his fish on a stick in a distracted manner.

When they went to sleep, he held her close with his face hidden in her hair.

Her eyes saddened at the situation.

'He was livelier before our talk of the "Kiss Cure." There's much on his mind; I don't blame him for being somber.'

She sighed. 'There's not much we can do. We'll plan, and see what happens.'

TM

Leon had not lied about his slight optimism when he told Sora that they'd find more information about the curses when she saw Sophie.

What mainly occupied his mind was King Volaire's "request" to see him.

He wasn't sure that the king was completely upset over his progress. After all, the king had soldiers spread out in different regions looking for the prince and apparently, the fairy aides were called in to peruse the area, according to his information.

'From what Sora said about Prince Yuri, the king even approached him about the missing prince.' His eyes narrowed. 'I am not the sole searcher for the prince, therefore, the king shouldn't be so upset if I were to not come up with much, especially when his fairy aides found out a good deal not too long ago.'

Thoughts of the fairy aides led him down another path. Leon's hands went limp at the rather disconcerting thought.

'What if…the aides noticed that one of the magic signatures is Sophie's?'

Sora's hand twitched; in the corner of his eye he saw her biting her lip, trying to figure out something. It was then that Leon noticed that his hand had unintentionally slipped out of hers. 'She's probably wondering why I let go.' He grasped her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

She relaxed, weaving their fingers together.

His thumb rubbed along her knuckles, returning to his previous thoughts.

'It's possible that, because Sophie is in a sleep-like state, they haven't noticed her magic. If that is the case, then the aides still don't know that Sophie was one of the magic users at the prince's campsite.'

'But if they do know that it is Sophie's…' His heart grew cold at the thought.

Leon's eyes drifted to Sora, considering. 'I could ask her if it is possible to sense magic in someone not conscious.'

He debated whether or not to ask.

Yes, she already knew that Sophie blasted magic at the prince; he had told her that when he said what happened with Sophie and Prince Yuri. He was sure that, like him only moments ago, it had not crossed her mind that one of the fairy aides would recognize Sophie's magic signature around the prince's camp.

Leon didn't want to worry her unnecessarily if the aides hadn't figured it out.

His mind brought forth an earlier discussion he had with Sora, when they both felt that the other was holding back information.

'She wouldn't be too happy if she finds out about this later.'

Leon was about to ask when Sora spoke, unknowingly interrupting him.

He let her.

TM

Earlier, when Leon let go of her hand, she had been worried that maybe she was being a little too touchy with him—she couldn't help it, she liked the way his hands felt.

But when he put his hand back into hers, she calmed down.

'Maybe it was just an accident.'

She completely settled her nerves when she felt his thumb running along the back of her hand. The walk became peaceful again and the sun was not too hot, with a slightly chilly air.

Even so, she felt it was too quiet.

Maybe it was just that she wanted to interact with him, wanted him to know how she'd been since they parted. She hoped that by talking, she'd get him to feel comfortable to tell her anything else that happened, whether good or bad.

Sora thought of what else she could say.

"So, this chimera I took care of was pretty enjoyable. It was an interesting mix; I wish you could have seen it."

She described its short lion's mane, folded feathery wings, talon paws, and scaled tail with a little tuff of fur at the end of it. The tail's description brought her thoughts back to the serpent, seeing as it had hair on its tail as well.

Her silence caught Leon's attention.

"Is something the matter?"

Sora's eyes refocused. "I was just wondering why the serpent attacks you."

"Yes, you did say that a while ago." Leon grew thoughtful—Sora was glad that his eyes held something else in them now.

"Perhaps because my arrows pierced it."

"But I attacked it too…though I didn't actually wound it."

He thought back to all the times he had seen it. His mind stopped at the first memory, when he saw it hissing at him behind the witch when she had cursed Sophie. At the time he hadn't really thought much about the dragon's presence, as Sophie's prone body was his main focus.

Though, looking back, if he recalled correctly, the dragon had writhed around as if in agony… He thought of its fangs, venom dripping out almost as if it had no control over it. The ground below melted where the venom fell. The witch had turned towards it, her hand moving quickly and saying something—he hadn't heard it.

It calmed down, subdued. Its red mane stopped bristling in agitation.

'_Red_…'

Leon stopped walking.

His eyes moved side to side, mentally reviewing and sorting out the information he knew.

"Leon?"

In an exhale, he breathed out, "He's the dragon…"

"He? He who?"

Leon turned towards Sora, gripping her arms. "The missing prince! He's the dragon—the serpent!"

She shrieked out in shock, "_What?!_"

His eyes were wide, blue spreading throughout them. "My new information tells me that the witch was at the prince's campsite with enormous amounts of her magic around the area. She must have cursed him or cast a spell to change his form. The timeline makes sense and they both have the same bright red hair!"

Sora blinked rapidly, processing the information. A smile instantly bloomed on her face.

"So that means, with this information, the king can't complain about you not having anything useful!"

He chuckled a bit, "He'll probably complain, since the prince is still under the spell, but this is definitely valuable material we have here."

She laughed out of joy and relief. Sora couldn't contain herself; she jumped up to hug him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Her feet dangled in the air.

Leon caught her readily, though he did take a few steps back.

He hugged her back, tension leaving his body in the wake of her warmth.

'It's a bargaining chip—that much is certain.'

TM

They stopped for the night, finally in the forest surrounding the town where the castle was located.

Sora couldn't help smiling; they were finally making headway on the issues that plagued them—though she wasn't sure _how_ they were going to change the serpent back into a prince. But, she let that detail slip from her mind, especially now that Leon was in a much better mood.

While he went fishing, Sora decided to fly for a bit in their campsite.

Her wings appeared and she shrank herself, zipping through the air enthusiastically. She weaved through a nearby tree, dodging branches and leaves. Her eyes were amber, her wings fluttered with yellow magic. All of her pent-up energy exploded as she increased her speed, laughing at the sheer feeling of flight. With her wand, she magically made little yellow birds to fly with her, childishly racing against them.

Leon leaned into the shadow of a tree, not wanting to interrupt.

He watched her small, warm glow of magic mark the evening sky like a shooting star. The yellow birds moved with her, trying to keep up. His eyes drifted to the yellow trail that she left behind as she flew, watching its slow disappearance into the air.

Deciding that he needed to cook their fish, he stepped on a twig to alert her.

Sora halted, the yellow birds flittering around her. "Oh, you're back!"

With a wave of her wand, the birds reentered her wand. She slowly made her way down, not quite wanting to end her flight. Leon went to the fire, spearing the fish into sticks. He finished with his task, wiping his hands on a towel from his pack. As she reached ground level, she was back to her human height, her wings glittering with magic. He couldn't help but come over to her at this point.

When Sora's wand hand motioned to her back, Leon's hand stopped her.

Puzzled, her eyes turned to him.

"I had not seen your wings up close," he said quietly, eyes taking in their form.

"Oh." She suddenly felt self-conscious.

Her free hand nervously played with her hair, silently wondering how long he'll take looking at them. 'Will he think it strange?'

She had heard of stories of humans interested in fairies. They'd get along well, but when the humans saw their wings, the sights unsettled them—as if they suddenly realized exactly what fairies are. The most heartbreaking scenarios she heard of were mothers or fathers rejecting their winged child, not knowing that their partner was a fairy or had enough fairy blood to pass on traits to their descendants.

'We may have a somewhat human appearance, but there are differences between fairies and humans.' Sadly, not everyone is able to handle that fact.

'I hope he is able to.'

TM

While Leon has magic in his blood, he was mostly raised as a human. His mother and Sophie were the only magical beings he grew up with—and they used more subtle magic. The town visits served as his interaction with a mostly human society.

Her wings, therefore, were a fascinating sight.

Leon's eyes traced her magnificent wings. They were translucent, with a soft golden color outlining the overall shape of them. He noticed the veins running through them, looking very similar to butterflies. Leon was tempted to touch them, but he was afraid of damaging the delicate wings.

He turned his eyes back to her, noticing her tense form. Her fingers were twirling her hair a bit frantically.

Leon frowned. "Sora, are you alright?"

"J-Just fine."

His hand pulled hers away from her hair. "You continue to do that and you'll end up tugging your hair out," he teased.

Her nose scrunched up. "I'm guessing you won't like me with a bald spot."

"If you'd prefer to have one, then don't let me stop you." He brought her hand up to nip her fingertips. Her face gained a slight flush from his action. He dropped her hand.

His eyes lowered sensually, "Either way, your reactions will be the same."

Leon stepped closer to her, keeping his eyes locked with hers as he peeled his fingerless gloves off.

Her grip on the wand loosened, making it fall to the ground.

He sidestepped it. Her eyes shimmered with light, burning with a sort of longing he could identify with. His hands found her face, cupping it. Her hands gripped his own, looking fragile against his larger, calloused hands.

He missed this simple contact.

His hands trailed down her neck, running over fabric. Leon undid the buttons of her high collar, his eyes still on hers.

As his hands did that, Sora's went up to his hair, undoing the tie that kept it back. Fingers threaded through silver strands, her eyes broke away to watch as they fell away from her hand, the firelight making them glow like thin rays of the sun.

When he unbuttoned a little past her collarbone, his fingers followed the line of her throat. The skin beneath her collar was lighter that her face.

His lips quirked. "Do the fairies of the Hamilton Kingdom have an aversion to the sunlight?"

She lightly shook her head; a small twisting of her lips told him how ridiculous she thought his question to be—whether it was in jest or not. "Of course not. We're needed in the castle quite frequently."

His head bent down, the breath from his chuckle heating her neck. "Poor Sora." His now loose hair fell to the front, silver strands tickling her face and skin.

Leon took his time, re-familiarizing himself with the shape of her beautiful neck. His lips felt her soft skin, opening his mouth to recall her taste. He felt her faintly shudder against him, hands caressing his shoulders. They moved to his hair as he continued, gently keeping his head there.

A large bite caused her to arch her neck.

He bit harder, bringing out a sharp exhale from her lips. She pulled his hair in reprimand. He placed a kiss in apology; her fingers glided up the strands she pulled, soothing the stinging in his scalp. His forehead rested on her collarbone, finding solace in her fingers' actions.

TM

Relief flooded her when Leon didn't shy away from her.

'He's not repulsed by my wings.'

Her fingers were in his smooth hair, his head against her collarbone. She kissed the top of his head in appreciation. She slowly kissed down, finding his face.

Leon gradually turned his head, her lips finding the side of his forehead, brow, temple, and high cheek. He shifted, letting her reach his jaw and chin. As she reached under his jaw, a hand nudged his shoulder, leading him to sit on the nearby mat.

Sora came closer, pushing his hair out of the way. Her lips trailed up his neck, brushing lightly along his skin.

Her wings lightly beat against each other, causing some yellow magic to float around them.

When she started to nip him, he lay onto his back. His hands led her down with him. Her leg had some difficulty straddling him because of the long skirt of her dress. She paused her nipping, her mouth twisting a bit. He chuckled, lifting her up slightly by the waist. She got her leg up and sat comfortably on his stomach.

Sora huffed, "I should have changed into my tunic."

He eyed her appearance. Her wings casted a soft glow illuminating her features: her bottom lip sticking out, flushed cheeks, open collar, narrow waist and skirt bunched up, revealing her legs in leggings.

His lids lowered, "I rather like the sight you make."

His hands ran up her legs—feeling the cloth of her leggings—and followed the curve of her hips and waist. Leon added, "The dress accents your lovely shape."

Her face was a deep red. With her collar open and pushed aside, he could see the blush spreading down her neck.

"Y-you—I don't even know what to say to you!"

"A 'Thank you,' would do."

She sputtered, "'Thank you'? For embarrassing me?!"

"No."

He propped himself up with one arm, making Sora sit in his lap. With the other hand, he drew her head forward to look directly at her.

"For noticing a beauty when she is in front of me."

Her lips parted; her wings stilled.

He saw a flash in her eyes before they dulled. Something shuttered in them, making him wonder what she was thinking.

Regaining her voice she quipped, "Is that what you tell other girls? It's a bit over the top."

The blue in his eyes shined at her. "No. It's the truth," he murmured, pulling her closer.

Chaotically, thoughts whirled around in her head.

Her mind wanted to believe him, but she couldn't help recalling the incident during training. Terrible laughter echoed in her head, she could feel the deceptively dainty hand viciously fisting her hair; hazel eyes sneered at her, the once polite voice turning malicious as it told her what it thought of her ridiculous looks.

Sora considered herself to be pretty enough; she was happy with her looks.

After that incident, though...it was a little hard at times to think of comments about her looks as harmless—especially remarks about her hair color. Fairy aides really didn't have such bright colors—the only other bright hair was Ken's but even then, it wasn't too outlandish. Leon's hair was definitely like no other's she has seen, but it fit him so perfectly that any other color would seem wrong on him.

'If his earlier comment was a joke…' She could somewhat brush aside others' comments, but coming from him…she didn't think she could take it if he was merely jesting. The thought of it twisted her insides in a cruel manner.

Hands pushed against his chest, stopping inches from his lips. "Don't tease me about this, Leon," she whispered half pleadingly, tears prickling her eyes.

He paused as he saw the moisture in her eyes. At that moment, he noticed how her honeyed orbs seemed to carry an invisible scar in them. It had sealed itself, but he could see that never properly healed. Leon leaned forward to nuzzle her face, moving to murmur in her ear.

"Do not confuse me with the imbecile that made you doubt your beauty."

Leon kissed her cheek.

He withdrew, letting her see his sincerity, "You're a stunning woman, Sora." A small grin appeared on his face as he corrected himself, "Excuse me, I meant 'fairy.'"

She laughed lightly at that, a few tears slipping out.

She wiped them away quickly, not wanting him to see. His hand overcame hers to wipe away the remaining tears. Leon's manner was so gentle, it made the tears come out even faster.

Sora gripped the front of his tunic and hid her face in his chest when more tears escaped her eyes. A muffled noise escaped her, making Leon's chest clench. He rubbed her lower back, mindful of her wings. The arm propping him wrapped around Sora, making him fall back down.

His eyes darkened with a silent promise of retribution.

TM

After a while she calmed, wiping her face with a handkerchief.

Leon had fetched their fish, a little on the charred side, but still good. They ate in silence, which she was grateful for. 'I don't feel like explaining what happened.'

She washed her hands off and returned, spotting Leon reclining on the mat. Sora bent down to pick up her wand before walking towards him. She was about to make her wings disappear when she saw his intrigued gaze on her wings. She let them stay for now, putting her wand away.

Sora knelt near the end of the mat, seeing where to lie. There was a niche by his left side, the spot she usually liked to lie. 'He left it open for me.' A shy smile made its way on her lips as she moved to her spot. She lied with her upper torso against his, having to adjust her old position to accommodate her wings. He didn't say anything as she draped herself half on him. Once settled, his hand idly ran down her back in a comforting manner. Her wings beat slowly in a contented manner, Leon's eyes following the motions.

'How did I manage to find a being like you?' Her heart swelled, the glimmer in her eyes returning.

She crossed her arms to rest her head against them. His gaze went to her face. Sora stared at him, a finger running along his chin.

"You make me wonder sometimes."

He arched a brow. "A 'good' wonder or a 'bad' wonder?"

She shrugged, "Just…wonder."

Leon sighed, shaking his head. "Are all fairies as strange as you?"

Sora pinched his chin. "Are all troll-nymphs as terrible as you?"

"I wouldn't say 'terrible.'" A slow, devious smirk appeared on his face. She flushed as his hand slipped under her collar to feel her new marks. "I would say…_devastating_."

His eyes glowed as he watched her reaction.

Sora found herself leaning into his hand. "Troll."

"Yet, you still stay with me."

His hand wandered up to her face. She felt his thumb brushing her cheeks; Sora brought her face above his.

"Must be some kind of magic trick," she murmured jokingly. "Care to share your technique?"

He teased back, "You're the fairy; you figure it out."

Sora nudged his nose before her head went down to kiss him. The first was brief and sweet, something he would expect to receive from her and enjoyed receiving.

Her second kiss was pure sensation.

She moved over every inch of his mouth in a strange mixture of agonizing slowness and in an attentive thorough way, as if she was memorizing the bends of his lips.

He allowed her the time to do so for as long as he could wait.

When she began nipping, his blue glazed eyes noticed her purposeful stare on him, the gleam of something incredibly alluring in her eyes.

He took it as an invitation.

He teased her, lightly brushing against her before his mouth angled suddenly, changing the pace of the kiss. Her eyes closed, enjoying the feeling of his warm lips.

He broke the kiss.

A protest was about to escape her, but his lips returned, kissing her deeply. Her hands settled on his chest, helping her support herself.

He broke it off again and switched angles. A hand grasped the back of her head to bring her to him, tasting her mouth. Her hands were trapped between their bodies, fingers curling around his tunic.

He groaned, she mewled—both feeling and hearing the other's response against their lips.

Her wings fluttered restlessly.

Leon noticed the motion, smiling momentarily before he inhaled a breath through his nose, his upper lip between her lips. She lightly nipped it, watching his eyes fill with blue.

'Another invitation,' he mused, taking her lower lip between his, returning the gesture.

They kissed and touched skin and hair alike, feeling a sluggish burn course through them, welcoming it. It warmed them like nothing before; each gesture somehow more meaningful.

Lips met again, shooting electricity down their bodies.

'What could it mean?'

TM

Morning came upon them, the soft light making its way to its place in the sky. A few birds twittered, up since the early dawn.

She snuggled into Leon's side, not wanting to wake up just yet. His arm pulled her closer, making her feel warm and secure. Sora felt his hand in her hair slowly running through the strands.

She sighed, letting sleep reclaim her.

Faintly, she thought she heard some noise, but feeling Leon in a relaxed state, she mentally shrugged and relaxed as well. The familiar fog of sleep was clouding her mind, letting her drift into the abyss.

A few minutes later, and her eyes snapped open, pulled away from sleep's sweet call.

Leon's hand paused, feeling her jerk slightly. Before he could ask, he tensed as well, hearing something.

'It sounds like…hooves and maybe a carriage.'

Sora sat up, recognizing the sound. "Leon."

He got up, making his way towards the sound. Sora quickly rolled up the mat and went to catch up with him.

His silver hair wasn't hard to spot. 'Though, he probably placed himself that way so it's easy for me to find him, yet made it hard for those on the road to see him.' Silently making her way over, she saw Leon focused on finding the carriage between the few trees that separated the main road and the forest. When she was next to him she stayed behind the tree, peering over from the other side. She pouted when she couldn't see anything useful.

Sora turned to him, coming close to whisper to him, "Can you see anything?"

Leon shook his head. "Not much. But I'm not sure if getting closer would be a wise idea."

"Oh. Well, we could enhance our eyes."

"I had considered that, however, other magic users can sense when others are using magic nearby. It will give us away."

She let out a breath, "Troll's feet."

His eyebrow lifted in amusement. "What about my feet?"

Sora stuck her tongue out, "They're big and stinky."

He flicked her nose, making her cover it so he wouldn't hit it again. 'She managed to withhold the sounds she usually makes when I surprise her.' He was impressed.

Focusing back to the travelers, he assessed the tree they were hiding behind.

"Sora, do you think you could climb up this tree?"

She looked at the branches, hand still covering her nose. Walking over, she tested a branch by pulling on it with her free hand. She uncovered her lower face.

"It looks doable. At least, up to a certain height."

Leon nodded his approval. "Very good. Don't worry; you shouldn't need to go so high up. This tree is one of the taller ones around here."

His head turned, listening.

"You need to be quick. The carriage is coming."

Sora nodded, determined. She hitched up her skirt and tied it that way. Swiftly, she swung herself up.

Leon watched her progress. 'She has improved.'

Sora balanced herself on the branches, taking a peek between the leaves. When she saw a few horses, she decided this was a good spot to look from. Her eyes sought out the carriage, happy that she made it in time to catch it.

'Maybe I can see the Crest on the door or even the person inside, if the curtain's pulled back.'

Sora focused, making sure not to unconsciously draw on her magic. The carriage came by—her eyes sought the door.

'That Crest, it almost looks like—' her thought came to a stop when she saw who was inside the carriage, the curtains pulled aside.

'There's no mistaking their hair colors, it's them!'

Sora made her way down, her mind a bit frantic. When she was one branch away from the ground, Leon was there, offering his hands. She slid down, his hands gripping her waist.

"Leon!" she whispered, her hands grabbing forearms, "It's Yuri and Ken!"

TM

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AN: I'm trying to make the reveals of information plausible and make sure that the characters' trains of thought leading to that discovery make sense. Another thing I've had to adjust is how much information is good for one chapter. I think some of the earlier chapters may have had too much information in each chapter.

Sorry about that! I'm kind of recapping through memories, thoughts or dialogue to help you remember.


	20. Chapter 20

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The carriage lightly shook, the wheels running over rocks and small ditches. Prince Yuri busied himself with a book while Ken stared outside, not really registering the scenery.

The case of the missing prince has spread out to multiple kingdoms, making the other royal houses double the guards in fear of something happening to their families. Crimes, both magical and not, have been given stricter punishments in order to not encourage any more trouble.

'Though, we have more than enough problems already.'

Ken thought he was worried when King Volaire visited the Killian Courts, but when Prince Yuri received a message from the king asking for a meeting with him…The stress back then didn't even compete with his current anxiety levels.

He wondered if the king knew that Prince Yuri was the one that was hunting with the missing prince.

At the time, the late King Killian had been dead for a week. Prince Yuri, wanting a change of pace, took a small hunting party to the forests near King Volaire's kingdom—since game was abundant in those parts. Royalty were allowed to game wherever they choose, a gesture of goodwill from one royal to another. Of course, in times of war, those terms were eliminated.

One night, Prince Yuri had left their campsite, unseen.

Ken remembered that day; the camp was in such a state of chaos. At the time, he had been Prince Yuri's official fairy aide for a few months, so naturally he was the most frantic about the prince's disappearance. His absence not only put the Killian House on the line, but Ken's reputation as well. From what they can tell, it had been during that time of confusion that the two royals met up.

Ken glanced at Prince Yuri, taking in his calm state.

'At least someone's collected.'

His eyes caught a flash of red amongst the greenery, making him think of a certain fairy aide. Whether he truly did see something out there mattered not to Ken; it still brought her back into his thoughts. Ken tiredly ran a hand down his face, his blue eyes lined with exhaustion. He leaned his head back against the stiff cushion of the carriage, closing his eyes.

'Political issues and personal fairy issues…I'm not sure how much more I can take.'

TM

Leon stood with his arms crossed over his chest. Sora's back was to him as she determinedly searched for her comb in her pack.

"I'm not certain of this plan of yours."

Once finding the comb, she set about preparing herself. Sora's hands fumbled with her hair, combing and gathering it in one hand.

She heavily sighed. "Well, what else can I do? You insist that I can't come into the courts with you, in case something goes wrong." She turned her head slightly to catch his eye, "And I _refuse_ to just sit here, waiting for you to return."

Silently, Leon added, 'If I _can_ return.'

Placing the comb between her teeth, her hands twisted the hair into a bun, tying it off. Her hand grabbed the comb out of her mouth. Turning, she addressed Leon, "Besides, how else am I supposed to check on Sophie if I'm out here in the woods?"

Leon did not respond. Sora turned back to her pack, putting the comb away. She straightened up, smoothing out her skirt. Her fingers moved to button her collar.

Leon uncrossed his arms. He brushed her hands aside, doing the buttoning for her.

"How will you explain your presence here?"

She faintly blushed at his gesture. "W-Well, I was just going to say that I'm following a lead, seeing if the prince's disappearance has to do with the witch that cursed Layla."

"And if they ask you where you heard of that lead?"

Sora tilted her head, throwing in a haughty sniff, "For the safety of my informant, that's confidential."

He hummed his approval.

Leon gave the open part of the collar a tug. She jerked forward. Unbalanced, her hands instinctively came forward, resting on his chest. He brought his head down to hers; the blush from earlier deepened to a cherry red.

"There are a few things about the courts here I have not discussed with you, but our time is short and it will take a while for me to explain."

His eyes were somber, making her blush fade away at the seriousness. "If you need to speak with me, make sure that I am alone before you approach me; and make sure Prince Yuri doesn't see you with me."

She frowned lightly. 'That's a good point. I can't lose Yuri's trust; if he is aware that I know Leon, the man whom he banished from his courts, I won't be able to talk with Yuri or Ken.' Not that she was comfortable talking with either one of them at this point in time. But they held information that she had yet to figure out.

Despite those reasons, the secrecy about her acquaintance with Leon left a bad taste in her mouth.

Her frown deepened. "I understand, but that doesn't mean I like it."

Leon lightly pulled her collar upwards, making her head drop back a little. Her face was tilted towards him, allowing him to place a kiss on her cheek.

He murmured against her skin, "The sentiment is appreciated."

Sora blushed, but turned her head a bit for a quick brush of their lips before pulling away. He was tempted to share one more kiss, but thought better of it. '"One more" tends to become three more.' Distracting himself, he finished buttoning her collar.

Leon stepped back, seeing what "fairy aide Sora" looked like.

While the dress was not too bad—he could see the beautiful curves of her hips and chest—the high collar looked so stiff that it seemed as if it were a pillar propping her head up. The tight bun seemed like a cage for her fiery hair, dousing out the liveliness of its color and form. Though, her untamed bangs were still loose, hinting at the true nature of her hair.

He arched a brow, not sure if he liked the "prim and proper" look of her station.

Sora had been adjusting the buttons along her sleeves as he perused her attire. She looked up, catching his expression. "What's wrong?"

He tilted his head to the side. "I think I prefer the long tunic on you. It suits you better."

She flushed, "Well, I can't wear that to the courts. Ladies wear dresses."

His eyes held a bit of mischief, "But you're a fairy, Sora. As I recall, you once commented about your fairy attire being…different. More free, if you will."

She pursed her lips, "You would prefer that." She continued, feeling a little bold, "I seem to recall you liking the sight of my legs."

He easily replied, "And you my arms."

Her face was a bright red. 'Fairy dust! He _did_ catch me looking!'

Refusing to back down, she quickly thought of something, taking a step back to think.

"A-And you my hair!"

He took a step forward. "You as well."

Taking several steps back, she retorted, "Well…you, um…my neck!"

"Yes, another similarity we share," he agreed with a purr. "I like your shoulders as well." That halted her, eyes wide. Leon's approach was very confident and self-assured, looking very much like the hunter he is.

"Same goes for your mouth, your cheeks, your nose…" He towered over her, fingertips tracing over the areas he said. He circled around, going down her face, lingering on her lips before he moved on to her jawline and chin.

When his fingers went up the other side of her face, he paused, intrigued by her soft red eyelashes. He hadn't really noticed them before, but now he admired how they framed her eyes. Her irises caught his gaze, watching the way her pupils slowly dilated.

His grey eyes were highlighted by blue, reading her honey eyes.

"Your smile, your laughter, your blush…" His hand moved its way back down to rest along the left side of her collarbone, eyes still connected with hers.

"Your heart," He softly intoned.

The emotion in his eyes shifted to something warmer, gentler, touching the inner part of herself that was the source of her being. It made her tremble with a sort of exhilaration that flooded her veins, begging her to reciprocate the feeling in some way.

She breathed heavily, her heart thudding loudly in her ears.

"Leon."

His name came out in a hushed whisper, the affection in her voice drawing his head down to hear it. Her lips came up, softly caressing his lower lip in a tender kiss, then dragging up to give his upper lip the same treatment.

Her actions thrilled him, making a sort of thrumming sensation travel from the nerves in his lips to the ones in his fingertips. When she began to press her lips against his for a full kiss, he forced himself to pull back, stopping her.

Sora blinked—his withdrawal making the moment die abruptly. 'Did I…horribly misunderstand his actions and words?' Her confusion gave way to another feeling. Hurt began to creep into her eyes, staining their beautiful color. Honeyed orbs darted to the side, looking away from his face—partly out of shame for having mistaken him and partly out of sadness for his supposed rejection.

Seeing the damage his action caused, Leon berated himself for his lack of tact. He cupped her face to place a kiss on her forehead—Sora felt her mood lighten slightly.

"While I would like nothing more than to continue, we need to go. The main road is long, but the shortcut will be moot unless we head out now. It would be ideal if we are there before Prince Yuri arrives, that way he will not suspect us of following him."

Sora sighed in relief, her eyes meeting his again. "Alright."

Her eyes grew impish, regaining her good mood. "This is not over, Leon."

She pulled away from him, picking up her pack. He gathered his as well and walked over to Sora. His hand slipped beneath her pack to rest on her lower back, leading her to the shortcut through the woods.

Feeling his hand, she looked over her shoulder, gracing him with a shy smile.

'Yes,' he thought, his fingers gently rubbing back and forth, 'this is far from being concluded.'

your blush...iotion, yng her own honey eyes.e paused. His blue eyes n her lips, before he moved on to her jawline andTM

The town near the castle was not that different from the one near the Hamilton Castle.

There was the familiar hustle and bustle of venders and buyers, children running around and the occasional dog. She did see some talking crows on one of the roofs though.

'That's new.'

Sora found a wall to lean on, catching her breath from the rushed trek through the woods. She took the time to take a drink from her water sack. Once she hydrated, she tucked a few loose strands back into her bun and wiped off the sweat on her face with a handkerchief.

When they spotted the town gates, Leon told her about a reasonably priced inn, should she need to check a room out. He also said where the entrance into the public gallery was located. Seeing as the king was expecting a visit from Leon, he didn't have to wait in the public portion of the courts.

In order to get into the higher portion of the courts with Leon, she came up with a plan:

'I'll hang around the public portion, pretending that I'm listening for information while keeping an eye out for Yuri and Ken. Hopefully, one of them will spot me—my uniquely colored hair is quite useful that way—or I'll run into them. Then, I'll pretend to be shocked to see them as I'm sure they will be when they see me. They will hopefully invite me to join them as a part of their entourage, not wanting to leave me alone in a foreign kingdom.'

Over the months in the Hamilton Courts, she has observed this human habit the males have to not want the females they know to travel alone.

'Even Leon kind of does that, now that I think about it.'

She can understand the caution, as the human women don't have magic and usually don't know how to fight. 'I suppose, because I look human, they tend to forget that I _do_ have magic to protect me. I can take advantage of that habit of theirs.' Ken was always worrying, so he easily picked up the habit when he began his fairy aide position.

That is how she plans to get to where Leon will most likely be and find out _why_ those two are here.

'There are a lot of variables with my plan, but there's also room for improvisation. I can "accidently" meet up with Ken and Yuri around town or coming out of the courts if one of them doesn't see me in the public viewing portion of the courts.'

She walked over to the side castle doors. 'Besides, they will most likely be visiting for a few days. Today might not be the day they meet with King Volaire.'

Sora paused mid-step as she realized something else.

'_Leon_ might not meet the king today either!'

Sora fiddled with the edge of her sleeve, debating. 'I wasn't going to check out a room yet, since I didn't think it would take long, but maybe I should do that first. It would also be better for me to already have a room when I meet up with Yuri and Ken.'

She altered her destination.

'Room first, then the public gallery of the courts.'

TM

Leon made his way down the cobblestone pathway.

He eyed the bushes lining the pathway, noticing their rather unkempt appearance. 'That's not surprising. It has been a while.'

He went up the few steps leading to the door. His eyes followed the vines of ivy that wildly exploded along the stone walls of the house. Leon rather liked how it looked; it made him feel like he was back in the woods. His hand reached for the bronze knocker in the shape of a lion's head and rapped the door with it. The sound echoed throughout the house.

Moments later and the door opened, revealing an older man in a formal tunic of black. The man's eyes widened.

Leon gave a slight nod. "Neitol."

Neitol shook out of his stupor, stepping aside to let Leon in.

"Welcome back, Master Leon."

TM

Yuri stepped out of the carriage, taking the time to straighten his traveling tunic.

Ken came out next, coming over to address the servant that was approaching them. Yuri let Ken handle the talking, feeling a bit tired from the ride over. The servant finished speaking with Ken. He bowed to Yuri, prompting Yuri to raise a hand in dismissal. The servant took his leave.

Ken sighed.

"Prince Yuri, the servant says that he will let King Volaire know of our arrival. However, it is most likely that we will not be meeting with him today to discuss business. For now, we may put our horses and carriage in the king's guest stables. Another servant will come to show us to our rooms and others will come to take our baggage."

As Ken was talking, the coachman and the footman unloaded the back of the carriage, placing the trunks down for the servants to pick up.

Yuri watched impassively for a few moments before he looked around the outer courtyard. The large square tiles were of a reddish color with cream and purple diamond designs on them. Some nobles walked under the white arches, trying to take an inconspicuous look at the new arrivals. A few of the younger women eagerly whispered to each other. One of them made brief eye contact with Yuri, causing the woman to turn back to her friend to join her in a delicate tittering behind their fans. Yuri nonchalantly turned his attention back to Ken.

"Then, we shall wait for them to arrive."

"Yes, Prince Yuri."

Ken took his turn to look around, though he caught the sight of a few winged females in high collars made of lace and dresses with flower patterns. Their hairs were various shades of black, brown and blonde, some color highlighting the hair. While they had their hair tied back, a few curls fell along the sides of their faces and curls around the buns.

'Are those the Volaire Courts fairy aides? If it weren't for the wings, I'd have thought they were noblewomen!'

Suddenly, they turned their attention to him, feeling his stare. Ken flushed, quickly looking in another direction. Light laughter filled the courtyard.

'I don't know how Prince Yuri can be so aloof when people are watching him!'

Thankfully, the servants arrived, leading them away from the outer courtyard.

TM

The higher courts were filled with noblemen and women in their best attire—aside from gala attire.

Men wore layers of tunics and robes, tying off their outfits with expensive clothed sashes. The women's dresses were covered with lace, beading and elaborate embroidery of exotic birds and flora. Various perfumes scented the air, making his nose twitch.

'Thank Mother Nature Sora doesn't use such sharp scents.' Leon adjusted his navy blue sash, loosening it up a bit.

Neitol the steward of his late father had helped him dress up to the current fashion. Attire and protocol were ultimate rules of the higher courts, especially those desiring the attention of the king. Leon did not dress exactly to the code, but it was good enough.

'I do not long to be a member of the king's ridiculous band of mindless followers.'

Leon looked to the public gallery, not seeing Sora. On the way over, he had wondered how she would react when he was announced to the courts. However, she was not here so he would not have to deal with that issue yet.

'Just as well. I'd rather tell her myself.'

He stepped up to the chamberlain, giving his name. The man straightened up, puffing his belly with air.

"Announcing Nobleman Leon, son of the late Thendrel!"

Leon made his way further into the courts, his loose silver hair drifting behind him. The nobles peered at him in a curious manner, whispering to each other. Their talking breezed over him, passing him like the falling leaves of autumn. He went to stand off to the side, making sure to keep the public gallery in his sights.

The loud whispers settled back to the normal talking tones, the nobles quickly losing interest in his silent standing form. Though, a few continued to cast glances in his direction every so often.

'I never was one for mingling—not that I come often enough to say so.'

His thoughts were interrupted by the chamberlain's voice.

"Announcing Honored Guest Prince Yuri, heir to the Killian Household, fairy aide Ken, and his companions!"

Leon's eyes grew cold, narrowing on the form of the prince.

Prince Yuri came forward, his group a few steps behind him. A circlet of gold surrounded his light blonde head; a few gems twinkled from their positions in the headpiece. His tunic was of a white color, his over robe a rich, dark brown color with gold embroidery. The sash was a reversal of his robe, being a golden color with dark brown embroidery work. His pants were dark brown and he wore the men's slippers of the court fashion—Leon refused to wear those, he had settled on polished boots.

Prince Yuri unknowingly came closer to him.

When he was but five feet away, Leon took in a malicious elation watching Yuri falter in his steps, having finally noticed him. Yuri's pale eyes narrowed a fraction before they smoothly settled into a neutral position. The prince inclined his head in Leon's direction.

"Leon, I was not expecting to see you here."

He returned the nod before responding, "This is my homeland. I am free to come to my king's courts as I choose."

Yuri's eyes deadpanned when Leon mentioned the courts.

"Yes, well, I suppose you have not given your king a _reason_ to keep you out of them."

Leon's eyes hooded over to hide the arctic storm raging inside.

"'Reason,' logic, and overall proper behavior seem to be different in your courts, from what I observed."

The prince was about to retort, when he recalled himself. Taking a breath, Yuri placed a charming smile on his face.

"This is neither the time nor the place for such a discussion. We will have to continue this debate at a later date. I do apologize for the inconvenience, but I have other matters to attend to; my time is rather limited."

Leon stiffly nodded, murmuring, "I am well acquainted with the press of _time_; you are the one who helped further the familiarity, after all."

Yuri's smile was tight.

He inclined his head, and then swiftly herded his group to the other side of the room. Leon followed the group with his frosted eyes.

'Scum.'

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Sora stood outside the doors of the public gallery, trying very hard not to gape at the soldier in front of her.

"What do you mean 'The gallery's _closed'_? Isn't it open for another few hours?"

The soldier sighed, switching his feet as he continued to lean against the wall.

"Miss, the gallery's closed because it's full, not because it's past viewing hours."

"B-But, how…why did it fill up so fast?!"

"It just depends on the occasion. Sometimes the king's sons decide to all come, sometimes the fairy aides decide to put on a show, and sometimes visitors bring in the crowd." He paused, recalling something.

"I heard from a friend of mine that we're supposed to be getting a visitor one of these days. I believe it's the prince from the Killian Courts." The soldier shrugged, "That must be why the courts filled up so fast; he must have arrived. You know how people get—once one person hears about it, that person tells another person, who tells someone else who goes and tells ten other people."

Sora hung her head, "Yeah, I know."

'You can always trust Yuri to bring in large crowds of people to come and see him.' She mentally rolled her eyes.

Sora bit her lip in thought. 'So what should I do now? Should I wait around for a few hours for the courts to close or should I just head over to my room and try another time?' It seemed to be a waste of time for her to wait around so she was leaning towards going back to the inn. Her mouth twisted as she came across a problem.

'But if I leave, how will I get in contact with Leon? He may know where I'm staying, but he might be expecting to see me after the courts.'

The soldier watched as Sora agonized over some internal issue.

"Why do you want to go in for? It can't be that big of a problem."

Sora huffed, "There's someone I need to speak to, that's the problem!"

He stayed quiet for a while before he sighed, running a hand through his bangs. "Look, if I can get a note to that person, will that settle you down?"

Sora perked up. "Oh, a note! That's a great idea! Hang on, let me get some parchment." She rummaged around her pack, "Do you happen to have something I can write with?"

The soldier reached into his belt pouch, "I've got a stick of charcoal."

She took it gratefully.

Finished, she gave him the note, telling him where the person is.

The soldier let out a whistle. "Whoa, the person you need to talk to is in the higher courts? How am I supposed to find him? There are tons of noblemen milling about, trying to connect with that family and that other family! At least with the public gallery, almost everyone knows everyone and they're willing to tell you where they are—heck, they'd probably pass the note on for me! But the nobles…not so much."

"Just look for a man with long silver hair and grey eyes. Trust me; he's easy to spot out."

At his skeptical look, Sora pleaded with her hands clasped together, "Could you at least try? Please?"

He sighed in resignation.

Sora silently cheered when she hear it.

TM

Unfortunately, Leon did not stay by himself.

A few foolish persons, after seeing him and Yuri talk, decided that Leon was a social being and started to strike up conversations with him. He could only last so long before he grew tired of the conversation.

'What do I care if the courts have been debating about the uses of wigs for formal gatherings?'

Some got the hint that he wanted to be left alone, especially after he stopped responding to the conversation in any way. This last person, however, persisted. Annoyingly, the man's daughter was with him, batting her eyelashes at him. While she certainly was pretty in her white lace and red beaded roses on her dress, he couldn't help but compare her to a certain fairy; and with that comparison, the daughter was severely lacking in many ways. Sora was so alive and the essence of a free spirit—this delicate, powdered young woman couldn't even compete with Sora when it came to capturing his attention.

He didn't give her a second glance.

Though, the recent happenings did make him ponder. 'The mere thought of Sora crushes down any interest in me of other members of the opposite sex.' It was something he began to think about earlier, but now it is a topic he most definitely has to evaluate—and not tarry in the task.

A serving maid stepped up to him, giving a short curtsey. "Pardon, nobleman, but if you could spare a moment of your time, I will be brief."

Leon excused himself from the father and daughter. He gestured to the side, and she followed. Once they were out of earshot of the crowds, he nodded his head, signaling for her to continue.

"Begging your pardon, but a soldier outside came across someone of your acquaintance." She briefly looked at the doorway where a man in the Volaire Crest livery stood, watching them interact.

Leon quirked a brow. "Is that so? What did the person want?"

"The missus asked that a message be passed to you." At that, the maid pulled out a small, rolled up piece of parchment. Leon took it and put it away for safekeeping.

"May I ask what the lady looked like?"

The maid stuttered, "S-She actually has a message for that, in case you asked who sent the note. She said to say…" She cleared her throat, keeping her eyes down, "'who else would be sending notes to a silver haired p-pixie?'"

Amusement filtered his eyes. 'Who else indeed.'

"I thank you for the note."

The maid lifted her head, glad that she did not get reprimanded for repeating the message. "Will that be all, nobleman, or do you wish for a message to be sent to her?"

Leon's eyes gleamed with mischief.

"Yes, now that you mention it, please pass this along…"

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A serving man came by Prince Yuri's group with glasses filled with wine.

"Complements from the king," stated the server, "His majesty is sorry he could not meet with you privately, however, he extends an invitation to dine with him tomorrow evening."

Yuri was the first to reach for a glass. "Tell King Volaire that we shall meet him then." He lifted the glass, taking a sip. "Be sure to tell him that the wine was marvelous and much appreciated."

The others took a glass. The server bowed and left.

Ken was quite nervous, his glass clutch a little too tightly in his hand. 'Prince, that was reckless! The wine could have been filled with some poison or other.' He eyed the prince, not seeing any side effects. Sighing, he took a rather big gulp of wine.

Ken's nerves have been buzzing ever since they caught sight of Leon.

Why he of all people was here in the high courts was beyond Ken. 'I didn't even know he was of noble birth. He never mentioned that when he came to the Killian Courts.' Leon's presence plus King Volaire's reason for requesting a meeting with Prince Yuri had his instincts screaming at him.

'This can't be good. Something is going to give, I just know it.'

Ken lifted his glass to his lips, his hand shaking in the process. The wine heated his throat as it slid down, comfortably warming his body. He brought the glass back down, gripping it with two hands.

'I can't let that happen. There must be something I can do.'

His eyes sought Leon's form, seeing him step aside with a maid. They talked, the maid passing something to him. Leon put it away too fast for him to see what it was.

'What's that, I wonder?'

His mind ran through the possibilities. Ken frowned, his blue eyes slightly narrowed in determination.

'I'll continue to keep an eye on him. Maybe a solution lies with Leon.'

Ken took a sip, his hands more at ease.

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AN: It's been a while! Well, I hope this long chapter satisfies you! I played around with this chapter, adding Ken and Yuri's points of view to throw in a little variety in the storytelling. I think it works to add suspense and get a better feel of the characters.


	21. Chapter 21

AN 9/30/13: I noticed that chp 19 had some discrepancies or certain parts were too vague, so I went back and fixed/added to the second half of the chapter.

Ex: Leon came into camp with some fish to cook, finding Sora and the fish somehow disappeared from the scene. lol!

I also clarified a memory of Sora's when someone was making fun of her looks, as well as smoothed out their interaction.

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Recap if you feel like you need a refresher (since it's taking me a while to get these latest chapters out):

Yuri and Leon had a bit of a verbal fight. Ken's freaking out about Leon being there and why King Volaire wants to talk to Yuri-Ken thinks maybe following Leon will help him find a solution. King invited Yuri to join him for dinner tomorrow night. Leon's also worried about why the king summoned him. Sora sent Leon a message since she couldn't make it into the Courts, he sent a verbal message back. Oh, and earlier, Leon told Sora that she probably shouldn't be seen near him if she plans to try to be a part of Yuri's entourage.

Ok, read on!

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The serving maid scurried over to the soldier by the door.

"Did he get it?"

She furiously nodded, head ducking down. The soldier tilted his head, confused about her reaction.

"Well, did he say anything?"

The maid nodded again, but didn't respond.

"What is it?"

She swallowed, not wanting to say it out loud. Pulling him down, she leaned up to whisper the message into his ear. The soldier's eyes widened, and then promptly began laughing. She slapped his arm in an attempt to shush him.

The soldier took a breather, looking at the silver haired noble.

'I guess I can see why Cecil would be embarrassed to say that out loud. Hearing the words from the man was probably quite a shocker.'

He snorted, chuckles still escaping him.

"That's enough Pietro." Cecil pinched his arm, face still a little red. "It wasn't that funny. Just make sure the missus gets the message."

He grinned. "Oh, I'll be sure to do so." Pietro left the doorway and walked back to his original post.

'I can't wait to see the look on her face when she hears it.'

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A fairy with black hair took a sip of her drink, fingers poised in an elegant manner as she lightly tipped the glass. The glow of the hall lights revealed deep green shine in her locks. Lashes blocked the sight of her hazel eyes, hiding the fact that she was, quite intently, watching the on-goings of Prince Yuri's group.

She didn't fail to see the rather terse exchange between Prince Yuri and the silver haired nobleman.

She was very much aware of the deal the king and Leon had. After all, being the Head Fairy, she was in charge of the others, even the ones looking after the sleeping girl Leon had brought in.

'There seems to be animosity between the two; but whatever could be the cause of that?'

Her eyes widened ever so slightly upon catching the pale face of the orange headed fairy aide. His blue eyes were watching something from across the room. She pulled the glass away from her lips, placing the cup down on a table. Turning her head to reach for the fan hanging along her sash, her fingers untied the silk rope of the fan, lowered lashes once again blocking the sight of her eyes. Hazel orbs brightened to a dazzling green, focusing on what the orange haired fairy aide's attention was on.

The use of her magic prompted her other fairy aides to bring out their wands for a spontaneous show, displaying magical wonders of conjured places and animals. Those in the courts praised them, drawing their attentions to those fairies' magic. A translucent elephant sounded, making her inwardly applaud her companions for the cover-up. The male fairy jumped at the noise, quickly turning to the elephant.

Her enhanced vision allowed her to see what had the carrot top's attention.

Far across the room stood a tall figure in the dark, 'Leon,' she noted, her spelled eyes made out his features. Ever so discreetly, he was unrolling what looked to be a small scroll. His eyes quickly scanned the contents, then just as fast; it was rolled up and tucked away. She could have sworn that she saw the faintest of smiles on his face. However, she was startled when she saw him look in her direction, smile no longer there.

'He noticed my magic.'

Without missing a beat, she finished untying her fan as well as loosening a thin velvet bag by her side. She pulled her wand out with a flourish, green magic spilling out of it in shapes of various flowers—roses, carnations, tiger lilies, and poppies. Her fan propelled them all over the room, heads looking up to watch the flowers flutter down.

'This tension needs investigating. Any useful information will please the king.' As she did her tricks, she formed a plan, recalling the dinner the king was hosting tomorrow night. Her painted mouth twisted smugly. 'That should go quite nicely.'

Red lips tilted up in a court smile as the audience applauded her floral display.

Leon was the only one who stood there with narrowed eyes.

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Night fell upon the lands.

Slowly, people in castle livery went around the walkways with a torch, lighting the candles behind the glass lanterns. The candles flickered, the light dancing on the ground and on the silver hair of the person passing by.

Leon walked at an easy pace, taking his time.

In the shadows, a head of orange hair peeked over from behind a wall, taking note of the direction the silver headed man went.

Ken followed from a good distance, afraid of Leon catching him. He allowed Leon to walk a few more feet before he darted away from the wall. Ken crouched down, hiding behind a shrub half his size. He parted some of the thin branches and leaves, peering at Leon.

'It looks like he's going into the town.'

Ken relaxed. 'The town will have better hiding places than around the castle.' Leon continued his pace, his head turning to look at the stars from time to time.

They entered the town, lights from the houses shined onto the dirt path. Every so often Leon would walk into darkness when there was no light, but a few seconds later, he'd walk back into the light, the windows illuminating him. His long hair flowed fluidly, the lights turning the silver into a river of molten gold. Ken grew used to the lighting pattern, slackening his tense form. 'Curious hair he has.' He ventured to get closer to Leon, the motion of his hair having a hypnotic effect.

A noise to Ken's left snapped him out of it.

He jumped, covering his head as something flew over him. The owl hooted, flying off to the nearby woods. At the sound of the owl, Ken put his arms down. He looked up ahead to see if Leon had noticed anything. Ken waited a few seconds, suspecting Leon to be in the shadows again. When the seconds dragged on, Ken felt fear trickle into his veins.

'He's not there!'

Quickly, Ken poked his head into the nearby alley, hoping to catch a glimpse of him.

Nothing.

Frantically he went to the other alley ways to catch him.

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Leon watched from his perch on the rooftop.

The young man darted to and fro, peeking into every crook and cranny between the houses. He scoffed; insulted that this male thought he could track him. 'It would take a deaf man to not have noticed all the noise he made while following me.'

He was merely biding his time, waiting for the right moment. When the owl appeared, Leon saw his opportunity, quickly lifting himself up the roof in order to see who was following him.

The lighting was poor, but he was quite certain he has seen this man before.

As the man stepped into the light of a window, it clicked. 'Ah yes, he was in Prince Yuri's group when they entered the courts.' He watched him fumble around for a bit more. 'I could be mistaken, but I believe I've seen him before today.'

Leon softly scoffed as the man tried to enter a tavern—he was pushed aside by a rather bulky individual.

'What I do not know is why Prince Yuri sent him to follow me.'

He stood up, making his way across the roof without a sound.

'First the green fairy and now this bumbling dolt. Will this game of intrigue never cease?'

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Back at the inn, Sora made her way to the stairs, belly full of a delicious soup.

"Thanks for the food!"

A plump lady waved back, wishing her a good night.

'What nice people; and such good food too! That tomato and cheese soup was very tasty!' Sora pulled out her room key, opening her door.

The room was small and cozy with a window. A bed was against the wall with a small side table next to the bed. On the other wall was a small dresser where a pitcher and basin sat, along with a small towel. Sora moved her pack to the bed, noticing the little pouch that lay on the pillow. She picked it up, smelling jasmine—a smile made its way onto her face.

Sora put it back, shifting her attention back to the pack. She hummed a tune as she found her sleepwear. Draping it along the bed, she bent over to remove her short boots. Once finished, she released her hair from their cage, running her fingers through it a few times.

Standing, she undid the buttons of her sleeves. 'What a day.' Sighing, she moved to the buttons of her collar. Midway, her fingers faltered, remembering Leon buttoning them for her. 'It was only this morning that happened,' she mused. As she slid the collar over, her eyes caught the sight of one of his bite marks. She flushed.

'That message he sent…How could he say such a thing for someone else to repeat to me?! The nymph!'

Sora tugged the dress off, letting it fall to the floor—her petticoat soon following the dress. 'In all honesty, I'm not too surprised by it, but I'm sure the message seemed quite…_forward_ to Cecil.' She knew Pietro the soldier was amused, if that goofy grin on his face was any indication.

Reaching over to the bed, she put on her nightgown, feeling the soft material against her skin.

She sat back down to remove her leggings, tossing it over with her dress. As she folded the items back into her pack, her mind conjured the face of Leon. Grey eyes lidded, with blue burning in their depths. His voice filled her head, low and with a rumbling quality to it. His message presented itself, loud and clear as if he were in front of her.

_A vixen should know better than to tempt a hunter._

Sora's cheeks burned. 'Even in his absence he's still making me blush!'

Her hands lightly slapped her cheeks. "Snap out of it! It's nighttime and you're tired and tomorrow's probably going to be a long day too! Get to bed!"

She shifted her things off the bed and moved the little pouch to the side table. Before she pulled the covers over herself, she leaned over to the oil lamp, shutting it off. The slight moonlight shone through her window. She looked at the stars she could see. Her eyes slowly blinked, sleep overwhelming them. Movement outside the window made her rapidly blink away the sleep, but she saw nothing.

'Must have been a night bird, bat, or gargoyle.'

TM

The morning was bright, even at this early hour.

Leon walked through town, wearing an informal tunic and his hair in a low ponytail. On his shoulder was a strap for a small bag filled with some food to share with Sora. While the inn food was good, they tended to serve a lot of meat for breakfast and the midday meal for those who were around. Dinner usually contained meat as well, but at least there were more choices to choose from for that meal. He had observed that Sora only ate some of the rabbit he caught, eating more of the fish, nuts, berries, mushrooms, and apples.

'It must be a fairy preference.' He inwardly shrugged. 'To each his own.'

He stepped into the alley leading to the inn, just in time to disappear from the sights of a certain orange headed man.

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Ken didn't get much sleep.

A yawn escaped him as he tiredly walked the streets, browsing the area Leon was last seen in. He had woken quite early to roam the town. 'Where could he have gone last night? If he's a noble, his house wouldn't be in the town, that's where the tradesmen live.' Ken followed another alley, finding signs for a tailor, cobbler, and candlestick maker. He groaned in frustration.

'I sincerely doubt Leon decided to get his shoes fixed at night!'

He turned around, deciding to try the other alley.

A wand shop met his eyes. He sighed heavily, exhausted.

'If I can't find any information, I'll have to try the courts. I may be a fairy aide, but I can't drop by a nobleman's house uninvited—unless under orders of royalty.'

Noting the position of the sun, he mentally calculated the amount of time he had left before Prince Yuri woke up. 'I'll have to return before he notices my absence.' Ken didn't want to have to explain why he was following a noble around.

'Best keep this task a secret.'

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Sora stepped out of the washroom, making her way up the stairs again. She ran into the chef, who was also the inn owner's wife, giving her a cheery hello.

"Good morning Sora! How did you sleep?"

"Very well, thank you!" she chirruped.

"Good, good! I'll see you down for breakfast then." The chef suddenly leaned in close to her. She had the look of someone who knew a delicious secret. Curious, Sora brought her head to her.

"I don't blame you if you're late, my dear." The lady broke out in a wide grin followed by a quick wink. With that said the chef continued down the stairs.

A very befuddled Sora was left standing on the steps.

'What was _that_ about?'

Shaking her head, she continued walking to her room. Giving the door a push, she stepped in only to abruptly halt at the doorway. Before her window stood a man in a white tunic with a tan bordering around the ends of the long sleeves, collar and bottom. His usual leather belt and boots were on, dark pants tucked into the boots. He looked outside, his silver ponytail lying along his broad shoulders and back.

"L-Leon!"

He turned his head, ponytail flowing around.

"Sora," he greeted; voice low and with an undercurrent of amusement. Leon took in her attire, the same maroon dress and tight bun in place. He placed his bag on the dresser, smoothly striding over to her. His movements pushed her back, making her body shut the door with a loud thud. Casually, his hands came to rest on the door, placed on either side of her head.

Flushed, Sora dared to look at his eyes, noticing the intensity of them that belied his earlier languid motions.

A hand came up to her bun to release the entrapped hair.

Red locks tumbled down gracefully, eliciting a hum of appreciation from Leon. His hand, her hair tie in his grasp, came to her face, the back of his fingers caressing her. Head bending, he nipped at the corner of her mouth, half-mast eyes keeping her own orbs connected with his.

His eyes caught sight of her partly opened lips, tempting him.

"What happens when the hunter catches the vixen?" he questioned in a rumbling murmur, taking a slow nip at her lower lip.

He pulled away a little to see her reaction.

Honey eyes lidded, a spark ignited in them. She moved forward for a kiss. Leon was only too glad to oblige her.

As their lips barely made contact, Leon saw her eyes flash with mischief. Suddenly she ducked, slipping under his arm to escape him.

When she was a safe distance away, she turned towards him, hands on her hips.

With a sniff, she informed him, "You haven't caught me yet."

The shining cheerfulness in her countenance ruined her supposed haughtiness.

Leon admired her playfulness. 'Vixen indeed.'

He pushed off the door, taking measured steps towards Sora. She stood her ground, waiting for him to come. Leon came before her, less than an inch of space left between them. His eyes held her own while his hand reached for one of his belt pouches.

Sora was so focused on his eyes that the brush of something against her cheek surprised her momentarily. Her eyes found Leon's hand wrapped around a silk ribbon, teasing the end along her cheek. Sora blinked, noting that it was a rich amber color, very close in shade to her eyes when her yellow magic invaded the irises.

'He…got me a gift.' Her heart felt incredibly light.

Her eyes returned to his, a tender glow in them that had Leon feeling warmth in his chest, making his breath come out unexpectedly. He reminded himself to breathe in, allowing him to continue.

The ribbon came across her lips, causing Sora to take notice of his closeness. He moved to initiate a kiss, the action making her tip her face up to meet him. Leon stopped her from reaching him, his free hand on her shoulder. He wanted to give her this kiss.

He brought his head down, feeling his nerves tingle at the softness of her mouth-he pulled away leisurely. Sora followed his lips, keeping the contact for as long as possible, even bringing her to her tiptoes. When the kiss finally ended, Leon draped the ribbon on her shoulder.

"Meet me in the town square by the main fountain. Wait a bit before leaving the inn after me."

He stepped away, picking up his bag to leave. Before he opened the door, he sent her one last glance, making her flush. A small smirk appeared on his face at the sight. 'I haven't caught you, you say?'

"I believe I have done so already," he responded loftily, an impish gleam in his eyes.

When the door closed, Sora blinked very rapidly, as if waking up from a daydream. His words gradually repeated themselves in her head. 'I wonder what he wants to talk to me about.' Her fingers found the ribbon, feeling its soft texture. A sweet smile made its way on her face. 'I don't think I've had a gift like this before.'

Her face suddenly scrunched up as her mind continued replaying his words. 'Wait a minute…'

"That cocky troll; you still haven't caught me!" Her mind replayed their kiss and the way she instinctively stretched herself to continue it. "Ok, maybe for a little bit," she admitted with a blush.

"But not completely!" Her voice loudly proclaimed, not willing to concede just yet.

Eyes saw her loose hair in the small mirror on the dresser. "Now I have to redo my bun. Jerk." She plopped herself down on the bed, grabbing her comb from on top of the side table.

Her hand began to place the ribbon on the side table before she paused. After silently debating, her fingers curled around it and placed it on her lap.

The comb ran through her hair, a slight blush on her cheeks.

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AN: Whoo! So, this was actually going to be longer, but I broke it up so that there wouldn't be too many things happening in one chapter.


	22. Chapter 22

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Leon casually leaned against the trunk of a tree near the fountain.

One hand held a book open, his eyes moving along the page. Since he returned to his father's house, he decided to peruse the library for information. 'Though, I recall the library having more books than what I found.'

His grey eyes darkened. 'Some furniture is missing as well, along with some tapestries, silverware, and other odds and ends. Neitol only comes by every so often to make sure no one breaks in.'

Leon scoffed. 'I have a feeling my so called "relatives" are responsible for the items' disappearances. They most likely made a copy of the key to the manor.'

As a child, he recalled the relatives on his father's side being welcoming and quite close with his family. His aunts and cousins fussed over his baby sister, cooing over her pretty hair and eyes. However, when Sophie was four years old, things began to tense—that was around the time her magic awakened within her.

It had been an accident.

A young cousin around her age had stolen her doll. When Sophie tried to grab it back, the cousin pushed her away, making her land on her little hands and knees. Upset, Sophie's hand came up—driven by instinct—and some teal magic shot out of her hand, stunning the little thief. Seeing what she had done, she went up to her cousin, poking her still form.

Sophie's little feet carried her as fast as she could go into the sitting room, grabbing his mother's skirt. At the sight of her tears, his mother came to the playroom while Leon—having been outside reading—ran in to see what the problem was, Sophie's cries audible from even outside. He attempted to calm his sister as his mother released the child from its frozen state on the floor with magic. Their aunt came in time to see the display. She stood stalk still, shocked for a few seconds before she gathered her now sobbing child in her arms, yelling at his mother.

The house was in an uproar—the screams of "WITCH!" brought the men from the library to the playroom.

His father tried to smooth things over, explain the situation to his brother and sister-in-law. They left immediately, not wanting to listen. Needless to say, they spread the story around the other family members. Some even tried to get Thendrel, his father, disowned.

Around this time, Thendrel secretly built a cottage in the woods as a safe house for his family to escape the harshness of the situation. Well trusted people from the town over were hired to make it, Alen and the Passels included.

After a few months, things settled down again, Thendrel's aging father refusing to disown him. His grandfather allowed their lives to continue as long as Leon was the only one to receive any inheritance while his mother and sister could not. Usually, noble families had enough to give some sort of allowance to the female members of the family, such as a yearly amount of money and a good dowry for the unmarried members. However, his grandfather denied them this.

The rest of the relatives were forced to accept this decision, having expected a worse punishment.

Leon may not recall what his father looked like, but he remembers his father's frustration. Looking back, he could imagine what guilt and anger must have filled his father's heart—having learned those feeling when Sophie was cursed.

When his father died, the strained relationship between his father's family and his mother snapped. His grandfather had passed away long ago, leaving the eldest uncle as Head of the Oswald family. His uncle kicked out his mother and sister from Thendrel's manor, not giving her any money to find lodgings. He had tried to keep Leon in his house, but Leon escaped through the window one night, making his way to the cottage deep in the woods. He knew his mother had no family members to go to, so the cottage was the most likely place for them to be.

He traveled long, and was reunited with his true family, however small it was, cold and tired. The warmth of the cottage replaced any lingering chills he had.

Then, a few short years later, his mother passed on, the chill in his heart creeping in. Sophie's presence was what kept it at bay. Though, when the curse occurred, it came with a vengeance, bringing a bizarre mixture of arctic ice and burning fury.

Leon's eyes clouded over as old feelings nearly overwhelmed him. Lost in his mind, his book slipped from his fingers, bringing his memories to a jarring halt. He exhaled deeply, and then bent down to pick up the book. 'Enough. These memories do me more harm than good.'

Book in hand he straightened, catching the sight of cherry colored hair.

Sora's head turned from side to side, eyes searching for something. As she came closer, he stepped out of the shade, revealing his presence. He knew the moment her eyes found him, for she let out a brilliant smile, chasing away the last vestiges of his memories—she was the summer wind, the memories dispersing like tendrils of smoke in the air.

She weaved through the people, knowing to not directly approach him. Sora came to sit on the edge of the fountain, head turned to look at the water.

He leisurely walked nearby, book in hand and bag strap over his shoulder. At the edge of his peripheral vision, he spotted something in her hair.

The customary bun was in place; however, an amber ribbon was wrapped around it, and pulled into a bow. The sight of it made him inwardly preen; a sense of pride filled him as he noted how well it looked in her hair.

He sat on the other side of the fountain.

Through the veil of the small waterfall, he watched her fingers skirt along the surface of the water. Her head was tilted downward and through a gap in the water veil he saw her honey orbs peering at him behind red lashes. His grey eyes pointedly looked at her bun, and then made contact with her eyes.

Even through the water, he could make out a blush on her cheeks. Shyly, her eyes turned back to the water, following the ripples her fingers made.

He pretended to admire the fountain, keeping an eye on her. He noticed that her brows were slightly furrowed, eyes a little unfocused as they darted left to right, trying to see some invisible thing. After a while, her brows smoothed out, a smile coming to her face.

Leon straightened up as he felt her magic.

His eyes narrowed, catching the faintest of amber in her eyes—it was not enough to alarm non-magical beings; for if one saw her eyes, they would mistake it for a glimmer of the sun shining in them. Her once idle movements began to follow some sort of order, fingers purposefully curving in certain directions.

'Curious.'

Once she was done, her fingers repeatedly pushed the water, creating little waves. He watched as the waves moved towards him, bouncing off the edges of the fountain's pool. The waves stopped in front of his sight. He blinked, surprised to find that she wrote something with her magic.

Yellow magic spelled: _Sensed magic. _

He discreetly looked at her, seeing her point at the water, then, holding eye contact, she made a swishing motion on the water. He nodded in understanding, bringing his fingers into the water to brush the words away. The magic swirled in the same manner as paint in water, quickly dissolving.

'This is very useful. I wonder if it would be possible for me to learn it from her at a later point in time.'

Leon frowned as the novelty of her spell cleared away. 'If she sensed magic, she shouldn't be using any right now.'

He looked at her, mimicking the motions her fingers did earlier while giving a tight shake of his head. Sora blinked, and then smiled. She wrote again, sending the waves to him.

_Gone now. _

Leon's shoulder relaxed slightly. He ran his fingers across the message, watching it disappear. 'To be safe, we should relocate.'

He brought his head up to scan the area. His eyes spotted some street venders setting up, seeing a few more along the path ready for business. His head turned towards her, tilting his head in that direction. Her eyes settled back to their normal color. She nodded, continuing to play with the water.

Leon stood up, placing his book in his bag.

TM

Two fairy aides made their way to the palace messengers' station, one with short blonde hair and the other with navy blue hair in a high ponytail. The blonde let out a yawn, bringing her hand up to cover her open mouth.

"It's too early to be sending messages out!"

The ponytail fairy made a noise in agreement. "Yeah, but what else can we do Charlotte? If the Head Fairy wants these sent out immediately, then we got to do it!"

Charlotte sighed, "You can call her Mizu when she's not around, Julie."

"Yeah, but you know how she is. Ever since that promotion, she _insists_ on everyone calling her by her rank!"

They lowered their voices as they arrived at their destination.

A servant was sorting out scrolls, checking them and placing them in certain boxes. The two fairies approached, simultaneously clearing their throats. The servant gave them a deadpanned look.

"Can I help you?"

Charlotte responded a little too loudly. "We have messages to send out."

The servant nearly rolled her eyes. 'Why else would you be here?' Instead of saying that, she questioned, "Local or distant?"

The blonde stuttered out, "W-What?"

The servant bit back a sigh. "Are the messages for people around the kingdom or outside of the kingdom?"

Julie fumbled with the note from Mizu, checking to see. "Um…one's local and the others are distant."

"Alright." The servant took out a quill and some parchment. "Let's start with the local one. Who is it addressed to?"

"It's to a noble," Julie's eyes squinted, "Nobleman Leon, son of Thendrel from the House of Oswald."

The servant nodded, quill scratching across the top.

"Ok, you can tell me the message."

Julie did, the station was filled with the sounds of rigorous scratching.

TM

The smell of fresh fruit filled the air.

Sora's stomach grumbled as she picked up a pear to check for ripeness. She felt something cool and smooth graze the exposed part of her neck, giving her goosebumps. Sora fought back a blush, pressing her lips together. She caught the movement of silver as Leon walked by with his now _loose_ hair, having released it from its ponytail.

'Imp, that was too close to me!'

They moved from booth to booth separately, occasionally coming near one another. Sora was nervous, not knowing how far away she should stay.

Leon, on the other hand, was getting bolder each time they crossed paths. He even purposely reached for the same apple as she did, his fingers lingering too long on her hand. Unfortunately, she couldn't hold back that blush, which made his grey eyes glint with a sort of heat that was inappropriate for supposed "strangers."

She expressed her sincere apology for their hands bumping to keep up appearances, though her eyes silently scolded him—but to no avail. His grey eyes teased her, his voice accepting the apology; however he was not able to hide the amusement that leaked through.

Not that he was trying to.

'Wasn't _he_ the one worried about the magic user I sensed? What caused this playfulness?'

Sora paid for the pear and stepped away from the booth. She turned the fruit over, looking for a good spot to bite. Sora was brought out of her musing as the person in front of her suddenly stopped. She collided into the person's back, catching herself before she fell backwards. Sora opened her mouth to speak only to choke on the words.

'I should have known it was him!'

Leon arched a brow, noting that she had yet to apologize. Sora frowned at the sight of the silver brow. Her eyes narrowed, crossing her arms with her pear in hand.

'I'm not apologizing this time!'

Leon smirked. Sora's lips pursed.

Decision made, she nodded to herself, lifting her head up as she passed him, not sparing him another glance. Leon's eyes followed, his eyes lit with humor. He stopped by a nearby booth to allow some distance between them before he tracked her.

He finally found her at a pastry stand, sampling an apple cobbler. Her eyes closed as she tasted the treat, humming in appreciation. He saw her say something to the owner before the pastry creator nodded, heading into the small building behind the stand.

Leon stalked over, inspired to do a little teasing.

Sora's forefinger and thumb held a piece of the apple cobbler, bringing it up to her mouth. She felt someone standing dangerously close to her back. 'The imp's back!' Before she could even finish processing that information, Leon's hand closed around her wrist, bringing the rest of the treat to his mouth. She couldn't help the "eep!" of surprise at the sudden action.

'I bit that!' Her cheeks burned at his boldness.

Sora jerked her hand out of his grip, hissing lowly to him, "What are you doing?! 'Strangers' don't eat other people's food!"

His tongue licked a crumb off the corner of his mouth. "That was my compensation for your lack of an apology."

Her jaw slacked. "'_Your_ compensation?! You _made_ me bump into you!"

Leon leveled his gaze on her. "I did not block your eyesight. You are the one who willfully chose to run into me." Thick veins of blue began to appear in the grey of his eyes, looking like the nymph she knew he was.

"One might consider such behavior as forward, a very…_cheeky_ action for a lady to make."

She was sure her mouth was completely unhinged by now. Sounds of indignation came out before she rediscovered words.

"'Forward' and 'cheeky' are the least likely words for _you_ to use when criticizing someone, you hypocritical t—"

His hand cut her off, covering her mouth.

A finger came up in front of her in a chiding manner. "Ladies do not use such words." His lips quirked up quickly, before his mouth went back to a straight line. "After all, you wouldn't want to attract the wrong people, now would you?"

Her eyes burned him, the message clear: _People like you?!_

He uncovered her mouth as the pastry owner came back. Leon strode on, having stayed around her too long. Sora brought her attention back to the owner, accepting the box. She gave the owner the money and then walked on in the direction Leon went. He stole a glance behind, seeing her eyes alit with determination.

A feral grin appeared on his face. 'It looks like she will play.'

TM

Ken attempted to keep up without running.

He had decided to get some food in the street market when, low and behold, he caught the sight of silver hair. It took him a while to pay, for he had picked out quite a few items. Once he was able to put all the stuff into his bag, he headed off into the direction he saw Leon's hair.

'I _hope_ it was his hair!'

To be sure, he stopped by a booth, asking if they had seen a silver haired man come this way. He received an affirmative, making Ken feel very elated.

'Progress, finally!'

He continued on, squeezing between a rather large group at a booth. Once he was free, he decided to stop by another booth. Ken caught the sight of pastries, deciding to buy some.

'Well, this will help make it seem less awkward.'

Ken ordered some blueberry muffins. As the owner boxed them, Ken cleared his throat.

"Pretty busy, for so earlier in the morning."

"Ah, yes. Though, you should see some other days, especially festival days. All sorts of people line up for something to eat before heading off to the main festival."

"Really now, heh heh!" Ken tugged on his sleeve, going for it. "Speaking of 'all sorts of people,' have you seen a man with silver hair come this way?"

The owner paused. "Why, yes, I did see such a man! He came over here, but didn't buy anything." The pastry creator chuckled under his breath.

Curious, Ken asked him what was so funny.

"Ah, well, you see, I'm not sure if I saw what I think I saw—I was coming back outside—but I would venture to say that he mainly came over here to talk with the lady that was here earlier."

"A-A lady?" Ken slightly blanched as he realized something. 'What if he's here in the town because he's visiting a …err…close acquaintance?'

Ken wanted to slap his forehead.

'It's not an unreasonable assumption, I guess. Some nobles tend to have…close acquaintances.' He pulled out a few coins for the muffins, berating himself. 'If that's what his reason is for being in town, then I've wasted my night and early morning following him!'

He grabbed the box and left the booth, debating on whether or not he should continue following him.

'But what if that's not what he's doing here in the town?'

Ken let out a breath, his head hanging down.

TM

Leon's arm was outstretched, reaching for a few small mushrooms. He felt her arm slip along his side to grab a handful. Sora innocently blinked a few times, red lashes kissing her upper cheeks.

"Excuse me, sir. I did not see you."

She released what was in her hand. A thrill shot along his side as she retracted her arm, making sure that her fingers ran along a part of his back.

Leon's eyes watched her face, seeing a secretive smile on her lips.

He lowly intoned, "It was no trouble at all, my lady." He saw some amber unconsciously come into her eyes. It faded back, Sora realizing what she had done when she felt her magic rise.

He walked away, smirking at her.

The booths soon disappeared as they continued their trek.

Leon led them to a public garden of sorts, more specifically into a maze with very tall bushes that even Leon could not look over. He signaled for her to go right, while he would take the left path. She gave a little nod, cutting across in front of him, letting her hand brush against his.

He was glad he chose to go without the gloves today.

Deciding that he gave her enough time, Leon took a step to the left, before he paused. Slowly, a grin appeared on his face. He walked to the right entrance.

His steps were sure, having explored this maze countless times as a child. There was a certain point when both paths intersected each other, where a secret entrance led to a small enclosed area. However, not many noticed it, as the set-up was created in such a way that the entrance looked like a part of a wall, not an opening.

'Hopefully, Sora stays in that area until I get there.' He quickened his steps, walking by a statue of a woman in a long gown.

Leon arrived at the intersection, Sora not in sight. He turned around, looking at the area. 'She might have moved on beyond this part.' Rustling caught his attention. Leon whirled around, hands gripping Sora's waist as she attempted to jump on his back. She giggled against his neck, wrapping her limbs around him.

"I caught you!"

Leon shook his head, softly scoffing. "I caught you," he corrected, his arms wrapping around her more securely to emphasize his point.

Sora lifted her head up, her honey eyes looking at him sweetly. "We caught each other," she stated with a smile.

Leon exhaled suddenly, his eyes soaking up her radiant expression.

She blushed, seeing Leon's intent, warm grey eyes. Her face went back to his neck, like an ostrich's head ducking back into a hole.

He walked forward to the secret entrance, Sora clinging onto him. Lavender and jasmine filled his nose.

The secret area was surrounded by purple and white wisteria, with a tiled mosaic of unicorns prancing around on the center of the ground. A stone bench was off to the other side of the entrance, positioned in a way for people to sit and admire the mosaic.

Leon went over and sat on the bench.

"Sora, we're here."

She lifted her head, wide eyes taking in the sight. "It's gorgeous," she breathed out, hands now on his shoulders as she turned her head around to look. He hummed in agreement, slipping his strap under her hand to get it off his shoulder. He placed her hand back, and then proceeded to unburden her of her bag as well.

"Thank you," she said softly.

He turned to her, giving a small nod. "I have some fruit if you are hungry." She nodded, thanking him again. His brow rose as he noticed that she was still sitting on his lap. "You can sit here if you wish to be hand-fed."

Sora blinked and then her eyes widened. 'He probably can't eat with me here.' She quickly got off, adjusting her skirt once she was standing. As she sat on the bench next to him, he pulled out some pouches of nuts and fruits.

"Any other time, I would allow you to do as you please, however, I have not eaten either." His mouth quirked, warning her of some teasing on its way. "Though, the apple cobbler was very satisfying, it was not enough to fill me up."

'I knew it. He just can't resist doing and saying these things.'

She flushed, but did not cower. "I wouldn't know. _Somebody_ only let me eat half a bite." Sora pointedly narrowed her eyes on him. He merely stared back, his grey eyes swirling with mischief. She reached for her bag, pulling out the box from the pastry booth. "Good thing I bought more."

She set it aside, putting it out of his reach. "But it's for after breakfast."

Sora opened a pouch, revealing raspberries. Her eyes lit up. 'I haven't had these in a while!' Her fingers grabbed a few. Before they reached her mouth, Leon leaned over to eat them, nipping her fingers in the process.

"Eep!" Her hand withdrew from his face only for his hand to alter her course, bringing her to him. Warm wetness touched her hypersensitive fingers.

"Y-You licked me!"

Leon gave another lick, cleaning the raspberry juice from her fingers. "Again, an exquisite taste, to be sure." He released her hand, inwardly laughing at her flustered state.

"Pixie nymph! I thought you brought me out here to _talk_ to me, not to _tease_ me!"

"You were teasing me as well," he moved in front of her face, "or was I mistaken when I felt you touch my side and back?"

He saw her swallow, but she refused to move. "Don't think I didn't notice you let your hair loose in order to tickle me, pixie."

He bumped his nose against hers, a sinful smirk on his lips. "It's nice to have one's efforts noticed."

Leon looked at her honey orbs, wanting to continue this, but he knew he had some things to tell her first. He pulled back, allowing Sora to breathe in some air.

"I hate to pause this, but we must discuss a few issues."

Seeing that he had her attention, he continued, "You were not able to make it into the courts yesterday, which allows me to inform you of a few…particularities within these courts."

He grabbed some raspberries, the chewing giving him time to decide what to tell her.

"It's more about my dealings within these courts." He turned to her, "Sora, my father is of noble birth, and I am his eldest, making me his heir."

Sora blinked a few times, then, she threw her head back and laughed. Leon was lost. "What is so amusing about me being a noble?"

She attempted to talk, but the laughter overrode her. Her arms wrapped around her stomach. "It's just—haha!—not too long ago –pfft!—I thought you looked like a noble! Hee hee!"

She gasped for breath, not done. "But I pushed that aside since—haha!—you're such a rascal!"

She fell against him, gripping his forearms as she laughed a while more. Leon quirked a brow at her behavior. "I spent a few years in my father's manor, but most of my life, I lived in the woods." He chuckled. "I suppose that would account for my lack of 'courtly manners.'"

As her giggles subsided, he tilted her head up to look at him.

"Would you prefer that I acted more like the members of nobility?" he questioned; amusement in his voice.

She didn't have to think about it. "No."

Leon saw that she meant it. "Why not?"

Her nose twitched in annoyance. "While some are nice, there are some really mean and grumpy nobles—stuffy and greedy too." Her eyes took in his mane of silver, his strong shoulders and arms, her hand moved to his hand, feeling the warm and roughness of his palm. The chain of her medallion peeked beneath his collar, the sight making her stomach all tingly inside. Finally, she met his deep grey eyes.

Her voice lowered, mouth speaking on its own, "I like you the way you are."

He had never heard anything sweeter than those words. He moved—for how could he remain still after such words?—kissing her temple. "I like you too," he told her softly, a message only for her to hear.

She moved back onto his lap, arms wrapping around him. "Good to know." Her voice came out mumbled, her face nuzzling his neck. But he felt the vibrations of her voice, making up for the lack of clarity. His hand came up to undo her bun, however, a rather tight squeeze of her arms made him stop. Her face looked up into his, a pout on her lips.

"Don't even think about it. I don't have my comb to fix my hair back up again."

He chuckled, the noise traveling through her body. His hand settled against her lower back. They sat in silence, Sora taking comfort in his embrace and Leon was lulled by the floral scents coming from her. Her eyes closed, resting her cheek against his chest.

She felt more than heard him speak again.

"There was a rather terrible incident that occurred that led my father's family into thinking he had married a witch, having passed her abilities to my sister, Sophie." His hand stroked her back, giving and taking comfort from the action. "As a result of that, there was bad blood between my mother and my father's family. I remained heir, since I had not shown any signs of possessing magic." Her eyes were open by now, allowing him to look at her.

"And they still don't think you do, right?" Leon nodded, pleased that she knew what he was getting at.

"When my father died of illness, my Uncle Romien—the Head of the family—kicked my mother out and attempted to keep me within his house, no doubt wanting to raise me up as his puppet in order to get my father's manor and money."

At her show of concern, he soothed, "I escaped before that could happen, and my mother and sister went to the cottage my father built for us."

The mention of the cottage reminded her of what happened to it. Her hands rubbed his back in calming circles. His back muscles relaxed, he had not realized that they had tensed. 'She must have felt me tense up.'

"Years later, long after my mother's death, a close friend of ours was deathly ill. The Passels only child, Rosetta, needed medical attention. However, the cost was too high, even when the three of us—Alen, the Passels, and myself—pooled our money together. Though I was loathed to do so, I turned my sights to my inheritance." His eyes narrowed in memory. "The problem was that my father's fortune was held in the treasury of the nobles. Usually, nobles can enter and take out funds when they desired to, however, some form of identification was required, a seal ring with the family crest on it or some patents of nobility—items not in my possession."

"I was required to visit my relative's house. Sophie came along, but stayed at an inn while I called upon our uncle. He was shocked to see me; however he quickly got over it, returning to the harsh man that he is. It took two days until he finally bequeath to me the items I sought. The asking was not for free, of course. He requested a…favor of me, on behalf of his second son."

Leon's mouth twisted wiry as he addressed Sora, "Do you recall when I told you that I believe the dragon animal aide of the witch is the missing prince?" At her nod, he continued, "The favor involved the prince, and my actions had greatly incensed him.

"So, you think the serpent," Sora ignored his correction of "dragon" and went on, "targets you because, if it is the prince, he is still angry at you."

Leon confirmed her statement.

Sora's brows frowned. "What did the favor include that would anger the prince of your lands?"

Leon responded, his expression blank, "The driving force of most vendettas seems to be the same. He feels I have wronged him, taken his 'destiny' away from him."

Sora's nose twitched. "'His destiny'? What destiny?"

"'Not an event, but a person."

His eyes slid over to hers, "Most feel that their supposed loves are 'destiny.'"

TM

TM

TM

AN: I had fun typing up this chapter, especially the fountain scene and them teasing each other in the street market! :)


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

AN: just wanted to let people know that I labeled the chapters that are part of The Forest Part I and where it ends. Then, I labeled the beginning of The Courts, Part II.

TM

TM

TM

He looked around the public gardens, not knowing which direction Leon went.

'It's nice that the king would allow the people this spot for plant life, but it's pretty big when you're trying to find someone!' Ken saw an orchid of magnolia trees, walking towards them. He went behind the nearest trunk, scanning the area.

'No silver.'

He dashed to the next tree, checked the area, and ran over to the next section. The progression was incredibly slow.

Unbeknownst to him, an elderly couple was sitting nearby on a stone bench. The elderly man spotted Ken's antics while the woman didn't. She was busy throwing pieces of bread to the talking crows. They hopped about, thanking her. One ventured to flirt with her.

"Oh, you scamp! Where'd you learn that one?" They cackled with laughter.

He watched Ken stumble to the next tree, looking back and forth. The man reached into his pocket, handing his wife her spectacles.

"Dear, I think you'll want to see this…the crows are normal compared to this crazy fool."

TM

Purple and white petals fell onto the mosaic, landing on the pale manes of the unicorns.

All else was still.

Sora breathed, and life came into the clearing again.

"The prince's l-love?" she stammered out.

"Yes."

Leon's eyes unfocused for a moment, his head inclined. "Though from what I observed, it was mostly a partiality on his part."

Sora felt her face heat up. 'How can he say such things with a straight face?'

Her face scrunched up as she processed his words. 'The prince thinks Leon interfered with his "destiny," with destiny being the lady. But how could Leon be responsible for that?'

She looked up at his handsome face, silver hair draped attractively along his shoulder.

It came to her with a stifling coldness.

Leon felt her stiffen in his arms. She withdrew, his chest feeling the suddenly drafty air.

Sora spoke carefully; her tone sending warning signals to his mind, "So, you mean to say you…drew away the prince's love interest. That's why he's angry at you."

"Something like that." He replied indifferently.

Leon saw her eyes narrow, honey orbs solidifying themselves. They crystalized into something magnificent, but oh so sharp.

"I see," she responded in what she hoped was an impersonal voice.

If he could be emotionless about it, so could she. Though in the past, she never could pull it off…

Her stiff body, her hard, crystalized eyes and terse response gave her emotions away. Leon wasn't sure if he wanted to chuckle or shake his head. For one who wears her heart on her sleeve, detachment is not something she can suddenly learn how to do.

His eyes were piercing, reading right through her.

"You think I seduced her, am I correct?"

Sora inhaled suddenly, but her expression did not change.

She opened her mouth to retort only to lose her breath as Leon firmly pulled her back against him. His eyes were lowered, lips but a few centimeters away from hers. "Does the thought bother you?"

She repeated her mantra, 'Stay calm. Stay calm.'

"Why should it? It's not like we're—" she cut herself off, her throat having tightened. Her words made her realize something that made her heart clench.

Leon persisted. "We're not what?"

She swallowed hard, eyes still crystalized. "It's really none of my business. I've no right to know."

'"No right," you say?'

He recalled yesterday's court meeting, how the nobleman's daughter couldn't stir up any feeling of affections or even attraction from him. Yet, this morning, when Sora smiled at him, all sorts of feelings roused within him.

'You have every right.'

But he did not voice this aloud, not wanting to frighten her with the strength of his emotions in regards to her. To be honest with himself, he was unsure of what his feelings would lead him—them—to. Though he had an inkling of an idea of where it _could_ lead to...

'Only question is, does she have an idea?' It seemed like she does, but he was not certain.

Leon settled for a toned down version of his thoughts.

"It is if I allow it to be and if you wish to know it," he murmured. His fingers tickled her side, making it hard for her to stay neutral in the matter. Leon saw the crystal layer crack, some of her warm honey color revealing itself.

'There you are,' he thought with affection, his hand coming up to trace the skin under her eye.

"What are you doing?" her voice was barely a whisper.

He shrugged, but his eyes stayed focused on her. "I believe I have stated my interest in you through my actions and words." Blue colored his eyes, engulfing her. "I am merely reiterating that fact, in case you have forgotten."

His hand tilted her head to the side. Leon glided over to her cheek to place a kiss. He knew, if he placed one on her lips, he wouldn't be able to finish what he had to say anytime soon.

He moved back to face her, loosening his grip. "If it's any consolation, I did nothing of the sort."

The last traces of hardness in her eyes melted. She let out a breath, her forehead dropping to his chest. Her arms wrapped themselves around him again.

"I'm sorry," she replied sheepishly. "I don't know what came over me."

His lips quirked up. "Don't you?"

She reddened, hiding her face against his chest. His chuckles made her cringe.

'Nice going, you stupid gnome! Now he thinks you're more possessive than a dragon with gold! And we're not even-!'

Her brain halted before the last word again, giving her some food for thought. 'Do I want to be...? Has he considered it? ...Will he?'

The thought teased her heart, making her wonder.

His hand brought her face back up, interrupting her deep thoughts. "You flatter me, dear Sora. I did not take you for being the jealous type."

Her lashes fluttered as her earlier thoughts came back.

'There's a way to test that thought out…' she thought impulsively, for she didn't think she could bring herself to ask.

"Jealous? Me? And what of you?"

She leaned closer to him. "I seem to recall a certain _someone_ taking the whole afternoon and night to cool down after being envious of a fairy."

As soon as the words slipped past her mouth, she realized her blunder. 'Ah, fairy dust! I wasn't going to mention Ken around him!'

Her mind flashed back to a glittering rose on a doorknob, him slipping a note in her pocket and then their last conversation, his eyes hoping she'd reconsider—and the guilt she felt soon after.

'I can't keep Leon from knowing what happened if he asks about Ken!' She had a feeling it would not be a good conversation topic.

Her eyes refocused on Leon, feeling his fingers lightly grip her chin.

He saw her eye twitch, making him suspicious. Eyes narrowed on her, he mentally worked out how to word his question. "Do I have a reason to be envious?"

She blushed. "Not that I know of."

Sora began to fidget as he stared. His facial features relaxed, but his eyes were just as focused.

"So…" he started calmly, way too casual in Sora's opinion, "what did he have to say about the curse? You were going to ask him, as I recall."

"He was, uh, unavailable." She lightly cleared her throat. "You didn't finish telling me about what the favor was."

"The prince and my cousin were enamored with the same young noblewoman. I acted as the middleman for my cousin. The prince blames me for the loss of the young woman."

His brow lifted, silently stating: _your turn._

'That…was the shortest wrap up I have ever heard!' She mentally searched for any details he left out.

"W-Wait, w-why did you have to do it? Why couldn't your uncle or another relative do it?"

"No one wanted to do it, knowing of the prince's interest in the young lady. Those who were not scared refused to do it, for inconsequential reasons that are not important enough to state. Besides," his eyes deadpanned, "Romien revels in punishment. My presence gave him the perfect opportunity to pay me back for running away all those years ago."

"O-oh."

Suddenly, she maneuvered off his lap, his hand falling away from her chin.

"I'm in your way again." Standing up, she went to sit on the other end of the bench, spreading out the pouches in his bag. "Was there something in particular you wanted to eat?"

Leon shook his head. Sora didn't see it.

"Maybe some more raspberries, walnuts," she opened a new pouch, "oh! Or some dried apricots! Those look good!" She grabbed some pieces, chewing in an exaggerated manner.

"Sora..."

"I bet they'd taste good in bread."

"Sora."

"With some milk!"

He came over, his arms boxing her in as she leaned back into the wall of wisteria.

"Did something happen?"

He saw her bite her lip. "N-Not really."

Her voice sounded small, making his mind conjure up a terrible scenario. His hand brought her face up, eyes storming with danger. "Did he hurt you?"

Pink dusted her cheeks at his show of concern.

She shook her head. 'More like I hurt him.' Sora sighed in resignation. 'Why can't I ever keep things from him? It's like he's part blood hound or something.'

"I just…we both misunderstood our interaction, that's all."

He contemplated her words. "…He did something unexpected, didn't he?"

Leon thought about what would startle Sora. He recalled their conversation in the woods many weeks ago when her fellow fairy aide was first mentioned. She spoke of him in friendly terms while Leon had misinterpreted it as something more.

He took in her countenance before speaking again.

"Something of a…romantic nature?" He saw her eye twitch, knowing he guessed correctly.

She looked at her hands fiddling with her skirt, unable to stay still. "He wasn't forceful or anything, but when he approached me about it, I just…"

With that said, the words tumbled out, her fingers twisting her skirt furiously. "At the time, I really didn't think about why I felt I couldn't…I mean, he's a nice guy and all, but I can't see him in that way and then I kept thinking about you, and I couldn't even promise to _think_ about it, which was strange, looking back on it, especially since we're not—"

Her hands halted, cloth dropping out of her grip.

'I almost said it again!' She tried to duck her head down, but Leon's hand prevented her.

"That is the second time you've stopped there," he mused. His eyes watched her, blue fire dancing against grey. "Go on," he coaxed in a rumble—the low tone of his voice making her insides tickle.

"What if I don't want to?" Her voice was hardly audible, but he heard her.

"What's the harm, if you do?" His voice was hypnotic, his swirling grey-blue eyes hypnotic, his silver hair swaying behind him hypnotic, his very presence—hypnotic.

Sora's hand came up to his face, her eyes tracing his features. "You might go away…That's the harm."

Her voice hitched as she continued, "And I don't want that to happen." Her hand felt comfortable on his face, even as he felt the smallest of tremors coming from it.

"Silly little fairy," he intoned, warmth in his voice, "You can't chase me away."

He leaned forward, demonstrating his statement. She followed, his words causing hope to bloom. Her honey eyes were lit with a tiny light, almost as if it were afraid to come out.

"Leon, do you think—that is to say—_would_ you c-consider—" her mouth went dry, her courage dried up as well, unable to ask what she wanted to know.

He waited patiently, his thumb rubbing circles against her cheek. The action caused her to mentally gather herself. She breathed in, lips parting…

…Only to have her senses buzzing.

Her brows furrowed, trying to pinpoint it. 'I know this magic…' Her eyes widened.

Her other hand came forward, both hands gripping his face.

"Ken's here!"

"What?" he sharply voiced out, the warm haze in his eyes sharpening to awareness.

"I-I don't know _why_ he would be! After all, he should be in the castle with Yuri! But he's here in the maze; I felt his magic, if for only a moment!"

Leon's eyes narrowed. 'Could it be…'

"Describe him to me."

She blinked at the command. "W-Well he's got orange hair and blue eyes and he's about my height."

Leon stood up. 'It's him.' He grabbed the pouches, closing them, and put them in his bag.

Sora stood up as well. "What's going on?"

"There was a young man following me last night, someone from Prince Yuri's group." He tied his bag closed. "It is most likely that this same man is the one currently in the maze. Though," he paused to look at her, "I was not aware that his name was Ken."

'I now have a face to the name.'

Sora grabbed her bag, placing her box back inside. "Then, should I go out and meet him? I still need to find a way into the courts."

"No."

She started at the clipped tone, her bag strap sliding off as her hands slipped in putting it on her shoulder.

Seeing her face he sighed, relaxing his body. "If he is following me, it might cause him to be suspicious of your presence here in the same place I am in."

'That's true.' She inwardly huffed. 'It's a pity we couldn't have more time.'

Sora began to fix her strap when an idea popped into her head. Her bag was placed back onto the bench, her hand undoing the flap.

Item in hand, she turned to Leon.

"Take this." His hands grasped a box, instantly recognizing it.

"Your apple cobbler." He shook his head, "You only just bought this." When he tried to place it back into her hands, she stepped back, hands clasping behind her back.

"Think of it as a thank you for your gift." Her hand came up to touch the amber ribbon, a bit of pink coloring her cheeks.

He thanked her, placing it in his bag.

"It won't taste the same," he ruefully mused aloud.

Sora came up to him once the box was in his bag. "Why's that?"

He grinned, knowing she would ask.

"You won't be feeding it to me." Her eyes rounded at his audacity. She made various noises, obviously ruffled by his words.

Impishly he leaned forward, his mouth sealing over hers. Raspberry was still on his lips while a faint flavoring of apricot was on hers, the tastes adding an addicting savor to their kiss.

Leon pulled away—the haste to act cutting the kiss short.

His hand came up to brush away some wisteria petals from her hair, fingers coming down to drift along her jawbone. He murmured, "Until we meet again."

Then he was gone, leaving remnants of warmth along her face and lips.

TM

Fluttering reddish light streaked through the air. Ken flew along the walls of the maze, making turns at random points.

After catching a small gathering of people watching him move among the magnolia trees, Ken decided that he was being too noticeable. He walked away as nonchalantly as possible, all the while squirming with embarrassment on the inside.

He passed by some wild rose bushes and other types of shrubs when he came across a tall wall made of bush. Ken followed it, eventually finding two entrances, one to the left and one to the right.

'A maze! This would be a great meeting place if Leon's up to something.'

He went to the left, feeling more confident about this direction…until he stopped, considering his method of following.

'I'm too noticeable in my human form, as seen by the group that was watching me earlier.' He pulled out his wand, looking at it.

'But would my fairy form be any better? It's certainly smaller…and if I don't need to enhance anything, like my speed, the only stirrings of magic that other magical beings will sense is when I initially change…'

The more he thought about it, the more he felt comfortable with the idea. 'If I correctly recall this court's rules, then I think it is safe to assume that Leon isn't a magical being or else he wouldn't be a nobleman allowed in the courts.'

With that, he made his wings appear.

The male fairies' wings were narrower than their female counterparts, resembling more of dragonfly wings than the butterfly shaped wings of the females.

Wings in place, he shrank himself.

He flew near the top, above the heads of the few people he passed by. 'Good! They didn't see me!'

However, when he journeyed on, he felt like he was lost. 'There are so many turns here, I'm not sure I'll be able to find my way back out of here!'

He could fly straight up, but there were branches covering the top, enclosing the maze. Though, there were gaps to allow enough sunlight through. 'I guess I could squeeze through them if I'm completely lost.'

Silver turned a corner into his view, making Ken dart into the bush wall.

Leon casually walked by, a bag strap around his shoulder. Ken followed him, half to spy and half to get out of the maze.

Leon's hand was holding something. Ken fluttered up a little more in order to see. As Leon brought it up to his mouth, Ken was able to see it.

'It's some type of pastry treat.'

His eyes widened, recalling what the pastry chef said. 'If Leon's eating a pastry—and according to the pastry owner, he didn't buy anything—then that means he must have met up with the lady from the booth that the owner mentioned!'

Ken looked backwards, eyes searching for a lady.

When the seconds rolled by and there was no sight of her around, he abandoned finding out who she was. He went back to Leon, not wanting to waste any more time.

He had his fairy aide duties to do.

TM

Neitol was up with the birds at the crack of dawn.

He had explained to his wife that the young master was staying at the manor, so he felt that it was his duty to do so as well in order to serve him. At least, until the end of Master Leon's visit.

It was a good thing that he was there for a palace messenger arrived at the door with a scroll.

Neitol did not open it, though he was tempted to do so. He busied himself with cooking up some breakfast, noticing that the young master had arisen slightly earlier than himself. 'He'll be hungry when he comes back, that's for sure.'

He wondered what business Master Leon had at such an hour.

Neitol smiled as he recall the early years of Leon's childhood. He was always in the gardens, be it the ones in the back or the public ones—when he ran off to those ones for the first time, Leon gave his parents such a fright! 'Nature calls to him—that much is certain. It called to his late mother and sister as well, if I remember right.'

He frowned. 'How could anyone have mistaken the gentle ladies as bad witches?' He bitterly scoffed aloud, still disgusted with the old incident. 'Those relatives are a greedy and ruthless bunch; they saw an opportunity for gain and struck out against their own family!'

"The plotting and backstabbing…what's so noble about that?"

The thudding of the doorknocker made him pause. "That be the master, no doubt. Perfect timing."

He set the food aside, making sure the cover was over the dish. Walking over to the front of the house, he straightened his tunic.

When he opened the door, Leon was there.

Neitol paused in his greeting, noticing something different about him. 'He seems a bit tense.'

He continued with his speech, receiving a nod from Leon. As he closed the door, he asked, "Is something the matter, Master Leon?"

Leon placed his bag on the dining table. "Nothing of consequence. It was more of an annoyance than anything." A box came out of his bag, peaking Neitol's curiosity.

Leon saw him looking at it. "There's some apple cobbler, if you care to have a piece."

"You went out to buy some pastries?"

A quirk of Leon's lips startled Neitol.

"No, though the treat was appreciated." Leon mentally added, 'And the company of the giver as well.'

"Well, that does sound like quite a treat. Perhaps I shall take you up on your offer, but first…" Neitol excused himself momentarily.

He came back shortly, carrying a tray with a covered dish, tea, and a scroll on the side. Leon raised an eyebrow at the scroll.

Seeing his expression, Neitol placed the tray down, explaining. "While you were out, a palace messenger arrived."

Leon sat down, picking up the scroll first before eating. He undid the wax seal, reading it. With a sigh, he rolled it back up.

"Neitol, could you purchase some dinner attire? I trust your opinion on the court fashion so do not feel the need to run options by me. Though, keep in mind that I will only wear boots for footwear."

Neitol nodded, however he hesitated before going.

"Am I to understand that you will be dining in the courts this evening?"

Leon pinched the bridge of his nose. "Not with the courts, but with the king."

TM

Prince Yuri calmly ate his breakfast with Ken. His knife spread some marmalade over his plain muffin while Ken opened and then closed his mouth again.

"You want to go into town?" Ken managed to stop himself from scratching his head in confusion.

"Yes. There is a tailor here that does extraordinary work. I wish to buy an outfit for this evening." Yuri bit into his muffin.

"Did one of your outfits get ruined on the way over?"

"My reasons are not motivated by that." Yuri finished chewing. "It will be a gesture of appreciation for the people of King Volaire's craftsmanship."

'Like the wine from the king and Yuri drinking it without having someone else test it out first?' Ken inwardly sighed. 'There are so many hidden meanings and gestures within the courts. How can anyone keep up with them?'

Ken got up. "When do you wish to leave? I will need to inform at least two of our guards."

"Sometime before the midday meal would be fine. Oh, and make it one guard from our group and two guards from King Volaire's soldiers."

"Another gesture?"

Yuri gave a small smile. "If we only take our own men that would make the king think that we do not trust in his security system."

Ken understood the unspoken second part of that statement. 'With what happened to the prince, King Volaire's ego has been bruised. In order to not upset the king, it would be best if we at least _pretend_ to trust his re-enforced security. Plus, we need to keep the king in a good mood.'

They still don't know why the king requested them to visit. 'Hopefully tonight we will find out.'

"I understand, Prince Yuri." Ken gave a small bow.

Before Ken moved to open the door, Yuri halted him.

There was a frown on Yuri's face, emphasizing the exhaustion in his eyes. "Ken I seem to be having a harder time falling asleep. Do you think you can make me a stronger sleeping tonic for tonight?"

Ken swallowed, knowing why the prince couldn't sleep.

'Leon's presence made it worse…' He took a breath in, composing himself.

"I will fix one up when we return from town." Ken bowed again, and then he walked out of Prince Yuri's guest quarters. He closed the door, giving a nod to the guards stationed outside Yuri's room.

'Back to the town I go,' he tiredly thought, 'and then I need to go find more ingredients for that potion.'

Ken straightened up and went to ask for some guard escorts.

TM

TM

TM

AN: So, I changed the genres from Drama/Fantasy to Drama/Romance, since there's quite a bit of romance going on. Lol! At least, more than I thought there would be. The summary gives you an idea that it's Fantasy, so this should work out just fine. : D


	24. Chapter 24

TM

TM

TM

It was midday, the castle servants moving to and fro the formal dining hall with fresh clean curtains and cleaning supplies.

Charlotte and Julie fluttered above them in their fairy forms.

The blonde puffed out some air. "Why do we have to keep doing chores for Mizu? Can't a servant do that?"

Julie looked at Charlotte briefly, turning back so that she wouldn't bump into any hanging items. "Yeah, I know; I'm stuck doing it with you! And the worst part is that Mizu doesn't even get up as early as the rest of us! She had those notes preplanned last night for a rookie fairy to send to us."

Charlotte pouted. "It's an abuse of power, that's what it is!"

Julie full heartedly agreed.

They flew in silence. Julie turned to Charlotte with an oddly serious face.

"Do you ever wonder why we're fairy aides?"

"What do you mean?"

Julie sighed, "Like, we could have been forest fairies, out there protecting the woods or in Oberon and Titania's fairy courts. Why did we choose to be aides?"

Charlotte's nose twitched. "Me, out there in the dirt and cold where hawks and bears are out there to eat me?" The blonde shuddered at the thought. "Never!"

"Besides, those fairies are so wild, they have no class whatsoever!"

With those words, Julie began to overcome her moment of insanity. "That's so true."

She looked down at herself, seeing the pretty lace on her dress. 'I wouldn't be wearing this out in the forest.' Julie felt a chill run down her spine at the thought of the wardrobe of the wild forest fairies. 'I've heard of tales of how they wear leaves and pelts…sometimes only using their long, shaggy hair for warmth in the winter.' Her hand went up to feel the elaborate braids coiled around her ponytail.

'How uncouth!'

Charlotte saw the grimace on her friend's face.

She cooed at Julie sympathetically, "It's all this running around we've been doing; it's making us consider such things." She reached over to pat her friend's shoulder. "Don't worry. Once we're done with our report we can eat the midday meal."

"Yeah, as long as Mizu doesn't give us something else to do now that she's awake."

Her blonde friend huffed, the curls around her face bouncing with the action. "Even if she does, we're eating first! We deserve a break!"

TM

Sora had been hanging around in the public courts for a few hours.

Nobles were introduced to the court, and then people bowed, nodded, or curtseyed. Sora tiredly sighed as she watched men and women talking and standing about.

'This is tedious!'

It was the very late afternoon yet the king still hasn't made his appearance. One of his advisors jotted down the grievances brought to the courts, be it from the public end or the noble end.

A few soldiers came in as well, though she could not hear what it was they said. She did see them hand a scroll to a servant which was then brought to the advisor.

A tug on her dress brought her attention down.

Wearing a simple light blue dress, a little girl with braided brown hair stared at her. Sora smiled, seeing how cute she looked with a daisy tucked behind her ear.

The girl's dark eyes blinked. "I can't see," she stated with a tiny pout.

Sora nearly melted at the sight the girl made. "Well, that's not good. Do you want me to help?"

The girl thought about it, then gave a little nod. With her short arms outstretched, Sora reached down to pick her up. The girl wrapped her arms around Sora's neck as she situated herself on Sora's hip.

"Is this better?" Sora asked.

Her wide dark eyes took in the new view with quiet excitement. "Uh huh."

"So what's your name?"

The girl's eyes came back to look at Sora. "I'm not allowed to tell my name to strangers."

Sora inwardly gushed at the child.

She asked with a teasing tone, "But you can talk to strangers and sit on their hips?" She made the girl bounce a little against her side, making her giggle.

"I asked for help, silly, and that's allowed!"

"That _is_ a difference. Well, if I can't call you by your name I'll give you a nickname."

Sora hummed as she looked over the child. "How about…" white petals caught her eyes, "'Daisy' for a name?" The girl nodded enthusiastically.

"Now it's my turn to give you one!" Daisy's big eyes traveled all over Sora's face, making its way to her hair. Her gaze settled on the ribbon holding her bun up.

Decisively, the child proclaimed Sora's nickname. "You're 'Sunflower'!"

Sora saw how proud Daisy was with her choice. She couldn't help but give a big smile. "That sounds like a great nickname. Thank you!"

Daisy smiled back.

TM

Leon stood, waiting for the chamberlain to announce him.

Like last time, his eyes went to the public gallery to find a certain redhead. He could make out her head turned towards someone, but he didn't know whom. 'At least she's in the gallery today.'

His turn was up, the chamberlain giving him a nod.

He walked in, discretely looking in Sora's direction. Leon blinked, unsure if he was seeing what he thought he saw, yet the image stayed the same.

Sora was, indeed, carrying a child on her hip.

At the moment, Sora's free hand moved over the flower in the little girl's hair.

It disappeared.

The little girl felt her hair, noticing that it was gone. Sora wiggled her fingers, showing that she didn't have it.

Then, with a sudden flick of her wrist, the flower appeared between Sora's fingers. Awe was on the little girl's face.

They both broke out into giggles.

As Sora tucked the flower back behind the girl's ear, Leon felt the stirrings of something deep within him. Her playfulness and current display of gentleness made him feel a different sort of warmth than the other feelings she drew out of him.

Unknowingly, as he looked at the child, he saw the brown braid turn into red locks. Redheads giggled together, Sora's head bent close to the child's.

It was picturesque.

He vaguely heard his title being announced, snapping him out of his hallucination.

Leon saw Sora's eyes widen, bringing her gaze back to the higher courts section. Honey eyes traveled over his form, taking in his new attire. She lingered on his hair, silver mane partly pulled back but otherwise flowing freely behind him as he walked.

Their eyes connected.

He let out a tiny smirk, which she most definitely saw if one went by the tinting pink on her cheeks.

The little girl looked in his direction, and then turned to Sora. He saw her mouth moved, a tiny finger pointing at him. He saw Sora's cheeks darken in color as she sputtered out something. Leon nearly chuckled at her flustered state. 'I wonder what the child said.'

Eyes so focused on Sora, Leon wasn't watching his step.

His quick reflexes allowed him to smoothly step around a person. While he was sure others did not notice he was certain that Sora would have been able to spot it out. Fortunately, Sora was preoccupied or else he was sure that she would be laughing up a storm at his near blunder.

He, the epitome of poise and confidence, almost walked into somebody.

'How mortifying that would have been.'

The faintest of red appeared on his face for only a moment before it was gone, unseen by all.

TM

When Sora heard his name, she looked up to see him.

And then couldn't look away.

There was no doubt that he made a striking figure in his court attire, dark blue tunic and pants with a white sash and white stringed designs along the collar and edges of his tunic.

And of course, dark boots.

Though, his silver hair held her attention the most-the dark fabric contrasting attractively with his light colored hair. The front part of his hair was tied back, reminding her of the hairstyles of the elves.

Her eyes found his, finding a deep emotion in them that she had not seen before.

It quickly disappeared, being replaced with a cocky, knowing look. He smirked at her, basking in the attention she was giving him.

'Narcissus!'

Daisy drew her attention away.

"Wow! Is that a prince?"

Sora felt her face heat up. "P-Prince?! Oh no, dear."

She was still adjusting to the fact that he's a noble; she couldn't even _begin_ to imagine him as a member of the royal family. Just seeing him in the courts seemed wrong to her, somehow.

Granted, she wasn't saying that he didn't look very nice in the court fashion, but that was about it.

Sora turned back to him, watching him walk over to a secluded spot.

'These court walls, it's too stifling—it's like a cage.' She recalled his scent and how she thought he smelt like the forest itself.

'The great trees in the woods can't thrive in small spaces.'

Daisy took another look at him as well, thinking. "Are you sure? Mama reads me stories and they describe princes as…" her little nose wrinkled as she thought about the words, " 'hamsome and charming.' "

Sora held back a giggle. "The word is 'handsome,' not 'hamsome.'"

"While he is," her cheeks burned as she struggled to get the word out, "handsome, he was introduced as a nobleman, so he's not a prince."

The little girl seemed to deflate at that, but then perked back up. "He'll be a prince to me!"

This time Sora did laugh. 'Leon, you have an admirer!'

Her mind added in, 'Or is it two?'

Sora held back a squeak at the question.

'Even my mind is conspiring against me!'

TM

Prince Yuri stood outside the upper court doors, standing tall and proud.

Ken stood beside him, tense as ever. 'Once the sun begins to set, our dinner with the king will commence…and I don't have any information to help us if the king does know that Prince Yuri was with his missing son.'

Who knows what the consequences would be.

'All I have is that Leon received a note yesterday and he has met up with a person in town...who is most likely a woman…'

He wanted to slap himself. 'I can't see how that will help our cause.'

The chamberlain motioned for them to come. Ken gulped.

They walked in with a booming introduction that made him wince. He saw the gaze of the upper courts and when he caught the sight of the fairy aides, he quickly turned his head away in embarrassment. His eyes fell upon the public gallery, making him relax…

…Until he spotted a familiar redhead.

Ken tensed up, eyes practically bulging out of his head. 'What's _Sora_ doing here?!' He saw her with a little girl, causing him to add in, 'And why does she have a child in her arms!'

Prince Yuri noticed the stiffness of his companion. Following his gaze, his violet eyes widened.

Quietly Yuri spoke. "Ken, could you go and see what Sora is doing here?" He looked back at her, a smile showing up on his face. 'Why she has a child with her, I don't know.'

Yuri turned back to address Ken. "Better yet, if you can, bring her over here with us."

Ken bowed.

Hastily, he made his way over as a man and a woman approached Sora, speaking rather rapidly with her.

'Please don't tell me her presence here is a bad omen!' Ken was pretty sure he's maxed out all of his surprises for the year.

He missed the two pairs of eyes watching him: one grey and the other hazel.

TM

"Thank you again for keeping my child safe!"

Sora rubbed the back of her head, a little shy about the attention she was getting. "It was no problem at all."

The parents walked away, Daisy looking over her mother's shoulder to wave at Sora.

"Bye Sunflower!"

She waved back with a smile. 'I'm glad her parents came. I don't know what I would have done if I had to go but her parents didn't show up.'

A hand on her shoulder made her turn around.

She blinked as orange hair and blue eyes met her sight. "Ken!"

He pulled her aside. "Sora, what are you doing here of all places?! It's a whole other kingdom!"

Sora inwardly prepped herself. 'Here it goes…'

She told him of a lead for Layla's cure that she was following that led her here. She stated that she only arrived not too long ago.

Ken frowned. "What kind of lead did you find?"

Sora bit her lip. "Ken, I can't answer that. If I do, it will endanger the one who told me and I don't want to betray their trust in me. Just know that I think I am heading in the right direction."

She leaned forward, her finger beckoning him to do the same. Lowly she said, "I think I found the cure, but I'm not sure yet." Her eyes darted about suspiciously. "I can't tell you in such an open place though."

Despite her dealings with Ken, she realized that his opinion on the curse could still help her. 'It wouldn't hurt to run the "Kiss Cure" idea by him; and to see if he knows any cases where one person was able to give out more than one "Kiss Cure."' She will ask for both Layla's and Sophie's sakes.

Ken nodded; his blue eyes serious. "I can understand that."

He looked at her for a moment, taking in her appearance. 'I always did like her hair.'

Eyes spotted the amber ribbon around her bun.

'Nice accessory, though I didn't peg Sora as a fairy that would buy hair ribbons.' He inwardly shrugged. 'She must have liked it a lot. Regardless, it makes her hair and eyes look pretty.'

Sora started to shift her feet as she felt Ken peruse her form. 'I hope he doesn't ask me _that _again.'

Seeing her brows furrow, Ken snapped back to attention. "Sora, Prince Yuri would like it if you join us." He saw her about to speak, but he thought that she would object to it, so he cut her off. "I know you have your own reasons for being here, but I—both of us—would feel better if you weren't alone in the courts."

Sora looked down at her hands, pretending to debate the idea in her mind. After a few moments, she lifted her head back up, giving a nod.

Ken sighed in relief.

Stepping behind her, his hand went to her back to lead her. A nudge of her elbow voicelessly told him to remove his hand. Sheepish and a bit upset, he settled for grabbing the elbow that hit him.

Ken felt the arm stiffen, but she did not pull out of his hold.

'Ok, so this is fine.' He walked them to the upper courts, idly wondering about her actions. 'I guess I've never really come across any borderlines when it comes to Sora.'

Then again, he had always been too nervous to touch her.

'This will be a good learning experience.'

He hoped.

TM

The two fairies walked back to Prince Yuri.

As they talked, Leon mused over what he saw. 'Judging by his actions the male fairy, Ken, seems to still have romantic feelings for Sora.'

He'd admit it; it incensed him a bit, especially when Ken tried to put his hand along her back. However, when he saw Sora not so subtly bump his arm away, he calmed.

His hand unclenched, which surprised him for he did not notice that it had fisted.

'That's a bit unsettling.'

He further relaxed as he realized that the previous day Sora had allowed him to place his hand on her lower back. 'The signs are there…if only I had time to read them so I can make a decision.'

Leon found himself thinking back to their first time traveling together, when she wanted to find out if Prince Yuri truly cared for her friend.

His words to her floated back to him, bold and loud: _Genuine feelings speak for themselves._

His mind shifted to another moment; Sora leaning forward to place a kiss near his mouth. _There. I'm not repeating it, doing it slower because it was too fast, nor am I clarifying it!_

The image changed as he looked through water, seeing her blush prettily with the amber ribbon in her hair—his gift to her.

'Do I really need more time to debate?' Leon hesitated to answer.

The ribbon fluttered and flew away to reveal another memory.

_Why did you go away? _

Her face appeared, the campfire revealing piercing amber that dug right into his eyes.

_What was it that you were so afraid of?_

The words echoed in his head.

Movement made him come back to himself.

His grey eyes refocused onto Prince's Yuri's group as they relocated to a spot across from him. Automatically, he found Sora standing around the edge of the party. Her head was slightly lowered with her hands folded in front, taking on the look of a demure lady.

He frowned at how unlike herself she seemed—at least unlike the Sora he has come to know.

Ken came near her to whisper something in her ear, placing a hand on her shoulder. Sora discretely leaned her head away from his mouth. She looked up to catch Leon's eyes, tilting her head as if noticing him for the first time.

Her lips twitched; her eyes moved away from his grey orbs to look at Ken.

Her mouth parted to speak.

Ken's hand abruptly dropped off of her shoulder, his blue eyes wide. Obviously bothered, Ken responded, one hand idly gesturing towards Leon. Her eyes returned to Leon's form.

A hidden joke was in her eyes.

Leon lifted his brow in question. Sora ignored it, choosing instead to turn around, addressing Ken as she shrugged her shoulders.

Ken gaped at her response.

Leon couldn't help but shake his head. 'You shouldn't rile him up so much Sora…whatever it was you said.' Though, the sight was quite humorous.

He will have to ask her later what happened.

A servant came by him with goblets. Leon grabbed one, noticing that Prince Yuri's group received some as well.

TM

'Her presence is a bad omen.'

Ken just couldn't believe it. First there was when she pushed his hand away—though he could somewhat understand that action. Things only got worse when she made that casual comment about _Leon_ of all people, then he accidentally tipped his glass cup over his clothes just as a servant came over to tell him that the Head Fairy wanted a quick word with him, which led him to standing around a ring of female fairies staring at him.

It didn't help that they were in a secluded corner of the room.

He tried not to swallow too hard.

A hazel eyed fairy stood apart from the others, no doubt the Head Fairy despite her youthful appearance. She stepped forward, her hands dismissing the other fairies. They moved away into smaller groups, but were still nearby—just out of earshot.

Red lips smiled.

"Hello, Fairy Aide Ken. I am Mizu, the Head Fairy of the Volaire Courts."

Ken stumbled in his reply.

She stepped closer, bringing her fan out. With a flick, it fell open with a flourish of green, blue and gold. His eyes spied the design of peacock feathers.

"It has come to my attention that you have been making frequent trips into town." The fan moved, the small air currents making her curls stroke against her face.

Her eyes casually made contact with his. "Would you care to elaborate on the reasons for those trips?"

Ken gulped; his Adam's apple traveling up his neck. 'Did she have someone following me? I don't recall sensing anyone. Then again, I was pretty distracted.'

"J-Just small errands to do. Nothing to be concerned about."

Her fan paused.

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Errands that include chasing a silver stag?" Eyes slid over to Leon, and then looked at Ken, a black eyebrow lifted up.

Ken did not respond.

Seeing his nervous form, her fan resumed. Mizu smiled comfortingly. "I see no harm in participating in a little hunting. However," she tilted her chin up, "I think two sets of eyes can do better than one."

"W-What are you—"

Mizu interrupted, snapping her fan closed. "I am not asking you to do anything for me; I simply wish to collaborate with each other, compare notes and such."

Ken considered her words.

"I'll…contemplate your offer." Ken looked up to face her. "How much time will you give me to answer you?"

She tapped her fan against her chin. "Let's say…tomorrow afternoon. I'll have someone come and escort you to the study." Her voice sweetened, "Is that enough time for you? I'll make sure the midday meal is sent to the study so you won't have to worry about skipping a meal."

Ken accepted the terms and then bowed, taking his leave.

TM

Sora made her way to the inn, the sunset her only companion.

The courts ended early on account of the king's private dinner. Ken told her that the king had only invited Yuri and himself, so he wasn't sure that they could bring her with them.

She left with the other nobles, however, as she looked back to find Leon she noticed that he did not move from his spot in the courts.

'Leon, why didn't you leave?' Sora waved at the inn owner, then went up the stairs. 'Could it be…were you invited to dine with the king as well?'

She paused on the middle of the staircase. 'Yuri and Leon dining together in a closed off space?'

"This can't end well."

TM

When evening fell, Leon, Yuri, and Ken stood in the middle of the courts, the same question running through all of their minds:

'Why hasn't he left?'

Ken fiddled with his empty cup. Yuri stood stiffly next to him, avoiding Leon. Leon leaned against a wall, eyes narrowed in Yuri's direction.

The silence was stifling.

A door opened, hardly denting the atmosphere. A servant came in to lead them to dinner. Ken dropped his goblet, the crashing sound bringing everyone's attention to him.

"Is there a problem, Fairy Aide Ken?"

Ken stuttered out, "Is-are-" he paused to actually think about his question. "Were we all invited to dinner?"

The servant nodded.

Ken felt his stomach drop.

TM

Leon stood by his chair, waiting for the king to arrive.

Across from him was Yuri—Ken was next to the prince. The servant opened the door, announcing the king's arrival.

Wearing robes of a rich dark purple, the king stepped into the room, golden crown sitting upon greying red hair. "Welcome!"

The king sat, signaling for the others to do so.

Both parties waited for the king to talk. King Volaire raised his hand, prompting the servants to bring wine and dishes of food. Servers poured out the drinks and others filled their plates.

Still the king did not talk. Instead, he took a drink of his wine, slowly sipping and savoring its taste.

"Very good," he proclaimed.

The others took a sip as well.

Yuri was the first to talk. "King Volaire, I thank you for your wine and invitation."

The king nodded. "Of course, Prince Yuri. I see that you enjoy our fashions as well."

Yuri answered in the affirmative.

The conversation ended. King Volaire exaggeratedly took up his fork to eat. They followed suit, taking the wordless hint. 'We'll talk after we eat.'

The food cleared away after a long while.

Under the table, Ken's foot nervously tapped the floor.

"Whoever is making that infernal noise best cease before I grow angry."

Ken's foot immediately stopped.

The king sighed, pleased that he was obeyed. His hands cordially folded together onto the dining table. "Now then, gentlemen. We have much to discuss." The king's dark eyes landed on Leon.

Ken was grateful for the reprieve.

"What news have you about my son?" At that, Yuri and Ken started.

Leon intoned blankly, "I wish to discuss your…message sent to me before I get to that."

The king's eyes narrowed with a bit of cruelty. "My message? I thought it was clear enough. Tell me of your progress."

Leon's back straightened away from the chair. "Not until we discuss the issue you addressed in your message."

The king unfolded his hands. "There will no longer _be_ an issue if you persist in this manner."

Grey eyes hardened into stone.

Seconds ticked by, Ken's eyes darted from the king to Leon. 'Issue? What issue? And why is Leon looking for the missing prince? Are nobles involved in the search as well?'

Leon softly exhaled.

"My apologies, King Volaire. I shall state what I have found, however, I simply wish to change the terms of our previous agreement that will not harm you in any way. On the contrary, I only desire to release you of the" he paused for half a second, "burden I had placed upon your household."

He bowed his head for a few moments.

The king was silent.

Finally, he spoke. "You are a stubborn man, Nobleman Leon. Your father was the same, as I recall." His hands folded again. "I will agree to your _suggestion_," he looked at Leon with a warning, "but the time of the burden's release will depend upon your information."

Leon passively nodded, but inside he seethed. 'He seems to know the value of what he holds…I, too, know of the value I hold.'

"Through my travels, I have found information that suggests that the prince's disappearance has to do with magic." He paused to gauge the king's face.

Something flitted through the king's expression. 'He knows about the magic traces found at the campsite,' Leon mused. Whether he knew that Sophie was one of them, he still did not know.

"Continue," the king said.

"My sources tell me that the prince was placed under a spell of some sort." Leon saw the men across from him flinch at the word "spell."

The king's hands tightened. "Do you know who has done this and where he is?"

"His current location, I do not know. Although, I do know the person responsible and know that the person keeps the prince close." Leon continued without prompting. "It is a witch from the East."

"A witch?" The king looked at Leon carefully. "Have you seen this witch?"

Leon nodded. "Yes, and I have seen the result of the spell. She has turned the prince into a lower land dragon, disguising it as her animal aide."

Yuri's eyes widened, but quickly schooled his features.

Ken did not. "A lower land dragon? W-What does it look like?"

Leon's eyes slid over to the two of them. "Dark purple scales with bright red hair along its spine." He recalled that Sora referred to it as something else. He added, "It is actually serpent-like in its shape and actions."

Color drained from Ken's face. Yuri only looked slightly pale.

Leon turned back to the king. "Is this information to your satisfaction?"

King Volaire frowned. "It is…I cannot deny that it is…"

"I am glad to be of aid to my sovereign." Leon steeled himself. "That said, when will it be convenient for your highness to release the burden?" He hated referring to his sister as such, but he did not want to reveal their deal in front of Yuri and Ken.

The king leaned back into his chair. A hand came up to stroke his mostly grey beard.

When King Volaire smiled, Leon knew it was not a good sign.

"Let me think…"

TM

TM

TM

AN: Da da da Dooom! : P


	25. Chapter 25

TM

TM

TM

Sora came back to the inn in time for dinner.

Jerobi the innkeeper greeted her. She replied back and made her way into the dining area. Sarine the chef spotted Sora and set about getting a bowl of soup out for her. Sora made her way to the kitchen counter where the food was served out.

The soup was a thick potato and cheddar mixture with some fresh bread on the side.

Sora's mouth watered at the smell of it.

Sarine called out from her spot near the stove. "Sora, if you want something else just come into the kitchen and I'll get you some chicken or fish!"

"Alright! The soup looks delicious Sarine!"

After Sarine replied heartedly, Sora turned away from the counter to look for a table to sit at. An elderly couple sat at one table; the man was discussing something with his wife that made her laugh behind her hand. A small family of three sat at another table with the child swinging his short legs as he ate. In the furthest corner was a young couple sitting cozily close as they fed food items to each other.

Sora suddenly felt alone.

She bit her lip in indecision. Her feet acted before her mind could approve and she found herself in front of the kitchen door.

Sora pushed it open with her foot and poked her head in.

"Sarine?" she timidly called out, "Could I eat in here with you?"

Sarine turned to look at her. 'I've not noticed how small she is.'

While she was not tall either, Sarine wasn't thin and petite like some other women. A rather healthy dosage of meat covered her body—a mix created from hard work and good food.

Hearing Sora speak rather quietly—compared to her usual energetic voice—made Sarine's motherly instincts come out.

She birthed and raised three girls. Sarine could tell when someone needed some company.

"Of course, my dear. You can sit over there while I finish serving dinner."

Sora's features relaxed. Her earlier timid mood fell away like old petals on a flower. Sarine watched a smile bloom on her face.

"Now that's a better look for a pretty girl." She chuckled as Sora blushed.

Sora sat on a stool. Her spoon dug into the soup and to her delight, Sora found some carrots and broccoli hidden in the potato.

She bit into it and closed her eyes as the flavor of the cheddar teased her taste buds.

Food always tastes better with the right company.

TM

He was not made of flesh.

He was pure stone.

The clenched fists hiding underneath the dining table were the only indicators that blood ran through his veins rather than rock.

Leon wanted to curse the king for his decision. He wanted his frustration and aggravation to be dealt out against the ruler of his homelands.

Some sort of justice must be served out.

But he didn't.

For it was not the king who let the witch stay at the cottage; it was not the king who failed to notice the signs of danger coming from her person or the magic within her; it was not the king who spoke the words that motivated the witch to curse his sister—despite Sora's attempts to rid him of this guilt, he knew he played a part in it; and it was not the king that decided to strike a deal in return for protection of said sister.

No, none of these were the king's fault—they were no one's fault but his own.

TM

Ken was not able to muse on the recent happenings between the king and Leon.

The sharp gaze was now focused on them.

"Prince Yuri, I thank you for coming. You may proceed to tell me of what you have learned about my son."

Yuri nodded in acceptance of the welcome. "It is my honor to help out a potential ally."

The king did not nod back. He held an impassive expression.

Leon knew that the lack of response was not a good sign.

"Potential ally?" the king questioned curiously. "I was not aware that we were undergoing pact negotiations."

Ken stiffened. Yuri kept a calm face though there was a bit of confusion in his eyes.

"King Volaire, in your message you said that you wished to meet in order to discuss any news of your son. However, you alluded to the possible joining of our two kingdoms, a treaty forged in these times of fear where trouble runs amok."

Ken blinked at the information. 'Prince Yuri didn't tell me about the treaty.'

"Ah yes." The king sat back. "I believe I said that I would be willing to create a treaty with the _king_ of the Killian Courts."

His eyes pinned down Yuri's. "Your coronation has yet to take place." He nonchalantly waved his hand towards Yuri. "Proceed with your report."

Ken swallowed. His heart thudded to the tune of a warning.

_Tra-trap, tra-trap._

Yuri did not take the news well.

"Regardless of my title I am still a member of the Killian royal family." Violet eyes narrowed. "While Nobleman Leon is a member of your court, you do not have the right to dictate when I may speak and of what I may speak about."

King Volaire arched a brow. "You would do well to remember _where_ you are; _I_ am king and this is _my_ castle."

The king's head lifted up arrogantly. "You are still a princeling so the time to discuss treaties is not your decision to make."

'The king pulled rank on the prince!' Ken wanted to tap his foot but he feared the king's attention.

Yuri took a stiff sip of his wine.

Leon couldn't help but take some amusement from Prince Yuri's discomfort. 'It's not so pleasant to be on the receiving end of King Volaire's sharp tongue. Seeing it happen from an outside view however…'

After a few more moments of silence Yuri spoke. "Very well, I shall state my findings. They are mostly rumors, nevertheless they—"

"Rumors are useless," the king interrupted. His statement held the air of such finality that Yuri was not inclined to argue his case.

Impatiently Yuri replied, "Then I have nothing to share."

The king's eyes gleamed like a hawk's.

Ken's heart screamed—_Tra-trap! Tra-trap!_

"According to my men, you _do_ have things to share." The king made a sharp gesture with his hand. A servant stepped up to hand him a scroll.

He unraveled it, searched for a particular passage and then continued.

"Several weeks ago my men reported having seen a small group traveling within my woods." The king looked up. "The crest on the livery of the horses was of the Killian House."

Hawk eyes sharpened. "Tell me why members of your House were seen in the same area that my son was camped."

Fortunately the king was focused on Yuri or else he would have seen the sweat that broke out on Ken's face.

Leon noticed for he was perusing both of their expressions. 'The prince is calm with not even a trace of nervousness. The Fairy Aide Ken's however…'

Either Yuri mastered the art of the blank mask or Ken knew something that Yuri didn't.

'The latter seems more probable. Both reacted when I spoke of the witch's pet. The question now is what does Ken know that Yuri doesn't?'

Leon focused back to the present as Yuri began speaking.

"King Volaire, I do know why members of my House were seen because I was there as well. We were hunting in your woods that were ripe with game."

Leon's eyes widened at Yuri's frank admission. 'Does he have a death wish?'

The king's eyes spoke of murder, but something held him back from enacting his wrath. "Those are dangerous words, Prince Yuri. Yet you do not fear my retaliation."

King Volaire's eyes were hooded. "Why is that?"

Still calm Yuri replied, "Because I am innocent of your son's disappearance. Though we were in the same area we did not cross paths. I was unaware of his presence, King Volaire."

Yuri's head lowered slightly. "It only pains me to know that if we had met, we might have had the chance to prevent the disappearance of your son."

Shock flitted through Leon's eyes but he quickly recovered. 'What trickery is this? Prince Yuri _did_ come across the prince. Sophie and even the witch told me so!'

Leon analyzed Yuri. 'Yet, there are no signs of deceit or lies. His body language says that he speaks the truth.'

He then turned his attention to Ken.

The fairy was practically squirming in quiet distress.

'What is going on?'

TM

Dinner time in the inn ended.

Sarine closed the opening on the counter where food was left for people to pick up.

Sora stayed and helped with the dishes. She finished with the last plate and then sat back on the stool.

She watched as Sarine prepared tomorrow's meals.

"Do you need any help?" Sora chirruped.

"No dear. Just sit and relax—you've done enough for this old lass."

Sora nodded as she watched Sarine's fingers sprinkle something on a dish. 'I wonder what that is…'

"I never did ask you and now's as good as any. What brings you to the Kingdom of Volaire?" Sarine took a peek at Sora. "I know you're not from around here."

Sora idly tipped her stool back. "Just some business. I can't stay too long though."

A very familiar grin came upon Sarine's face. "Business with a certain silver haired man?"

The redhead fell backwards with the stool.

Sarine laughed as she held a hand out to her. "Haha! Are you alright?"

Sora wordlessly nodded and grasped Sarine's hand.

Furiously blushing Sora attempted to smooth her skirts and hair. "I-In a way, yes, b-but the way you say it makes it seem like something else!"

Sarine's grin widened. She took a look at Sora's blush. "It sure seems like 'something else' from my perspective. I can't see a man like Leon getting up so earlier to see a gal if it wasn't a _something_."

Sora's cheeks burned. 'Why do I keep finding myself in these types of situations?!'

"I'm helping Leon; that's all."

Sora suddenly stopped fretting over her clothes. 'Hold on, she said his name before I did…'

Her eyes widened. "Sarine, you know Leon?!"

Sarine tutted. "We're somewhat close friends. He has stayed at my inn before." She turned back to the stove. "He has business in the area every so often. I recall that his sister came with him once but that was the last time I have seen her."

Sarine's fingers grabbed a few more spices. "Certainly a quiet fellow, but he was willing to open up a bit after a few stays."

The sprinkling caught Sora's attention again. Sarine saw her honey eyes narrow in concentration.

She smiled. "It was from our quick talk this morning that I learned a certain little redhead's a fairy."

Sora's eyes widened with shock. A hint of dismay colored her eyes.

"What?"

Sarine smoothed her ruffled feathers. "He was worried about you, dearest. He wanted me to keep an eye on you. When I had asked why the caution, he reluctantly told me so that I would understand the gravity of the situation. Do not blame him for betraying your identity; blame me for being a busybody."

Sora felt better with those words, yet she was still a bit bothered by it. 'He could have let me know that he told Sarine.' Her lips pursed in irritation. 'Heck, he could have told me he _knew_ her! That troll of a man; there's no need to withhold such information from me.'

"I don't blame you Sarine." Sora gave a little bow. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

Sarine brushed it aside. "There's no harm done." She opened another jar.

'Wait a minute…'Sora gave a little huff.

"If Leon told you what I'm doing here, then why did you ask?"

An impish smile made its way on Sarine's face. "Just wanted to see what you'd say. Blame it on the pixie in me."

'No harm huh? Say that to my elbow!'

Sora inwardly rolled her eyes at Sarine's reveal. 'Oh Sarine, of course you'd be part pixie. Like I don't have enough trouble with just one pixie-nymph-troll.'

As Sarine sprinkled some paprika, Sora casually leaned her elbows on the table.

"So Sarine…" her voice playfully intoned, "when were you going to tell me that you're a pixie who puts magic in the food?"

The chef grinned at her. "I was wondering when you'd notice."

Sora grinned back. "Blame it on the fairy in me."

She continued, "It was hard to sense your magic. But I kept feeling this slight niggling feeling and I thought I saw some glimmering when your fingers flicked different seasonings on the dish you're working on."

Sarine hummed. "I just put a little replication spell to the spices. My magic copies the little bit of spice between my fingers and doubles the amount. Using this method, I don't need to buy spices as often."

Sora nodded at her ingenuity. 'Certain spices can get pretty pricey.'

"This was the first time I felt your magic," Sora mused aloud, "Did you make it more noticeable for me to sense it?"

At Sarine's nod, Sora continued, "So normally, you're able to conceal your magic as you use it."

"Yes, dear."

A slow smile appeared on Sora's face. "Could you teach me how to do that?"

An answering smile showed on Sarine's face. "Why dearest, I thought you'd never ask."

TM

The king gazed upon Yuri in silence.

Ken looked down at his hands in order to not catch King Volaire's eyes. He missed Leon's hard stare.

After minutes of silent assessment, the king responded to Yuri's statement.

"I'm not entirely sure I believe you." He coolly voiced out, "Your countenance suggests that you speak the truth…however, I cannot dismiss this lead."

The king stood up.

The others rose. The king gestured and guards came forward to stand behind the chairs of the three guests.

"Therefore, I must _insist_ that you stay within the kingdom for a few days more." Catching Leon's stare, he iterated, "_All_ of you."

"The guards will escort you to your rooms; and Nobleman Leon, I will extend some guards to escort you to your manor."

Yuri's eyes were ablaze. "This is an outrage!"

"Outrage or a wise decision; it makes no difference to me what you call it." The king picked up his wine.

Lifting his cup in a salute, he bid the men a good night.

The men and servants left.

King Volaire sat alone in his chair, swirling the wine glass. Moments passed before the king moved his eyes away from the glass.

The king looked up at the ceiling. "Head Fairy, you may come out."

Winged beings in colorful robes floated from cloud to cloud; a painted figure in green began to peel itself off of the ceiling. Green magic flicked over its form, making familiar fairy wings, skirts, and hair rustle back into place.

Mizu flew down, curtseyed and then stepped over to the king's side.

"Tell me what you saw."

"Well, Prince Yuri and Nobleman Leon seem to be telling the truth. Fairy Aide Ken seems so skittish—it is difficult for me to tell if he is only acting that way out of nervousness or if it is because he has something to hide."

The king nodded his approval. "And what do your instincts tell you?"

Mizu tapped her wand against her hand. "…Although weak in appearance, something tells me that Fairy Aide Ken is not to be ignored. Also," Her eyes became contemplative. "…something about Nobleman Leon's manner this evening…he kept glaring at the other two and watched the fairy aide constantly, especially near the end of the discussion."

The king stroked his beard. "I had not noticed Leon's behavior. Good work, Head Fairy. I am glad you convinced me to meet with them all together. Plus, the messages sent out to the soldiers in and out of the kingdom…we would not have noticed that particular report had it not been for your advice."

"You honor me, my king." Mizu bowed her head at the compliment. "Sire, if I may make another suggestion…" having the king's attention, she spoke on, "The guard escorts…are they for their entire stay here?"

Slowly, the king replied, "That was my plan…" His eyes narrowed slightly. "Do you find fault with this?"

Demurely she responded, "No, my king; it is a good plan. However…might I suggest holding it off?" Seeing a shadow appear on the king's face, Mizu hurried her speech. "The guards may stay at their posts tonight, but I believe if we allow the guests to roam freely without guards for a while longer we may see more results."

Curious at the advice given, the king asked, "How much longer?"

Mizu hid a smile. "If your highness will allow me to contemplate until tomorrow in the late afternoon; then I will have a definite answer."

The king smirked. "Up to no good are we?" The smirk quickly disappeared. "I will allow it only because of the results you have provided me thus far."

Mizu gave a deep curtsey.

"Thank you, King Volaire."

TM

Neitol carried a tray with tea and a small dish covered over.

He deftly walked up the staircase. Just as he was about to pass a curtained window, he paused and backtracked a bit.

With years of experience under his belt, he shifted the tray to balance on one open palm. With his free hand, he subtly pulled the curtain aside to look at the ground level.

The moon gleamed on metal helmets.

"Tsk!" His hand let go of the curtain.

TM

Leon sat on an armchair in his father's study.

The fireplace was lit and while it warmed his body, his insides felt as frozen as the wintertime.

A knock sounded at the door.

Neitol came in with his tray. Leon did not turn his eyes away from the flames. "Sadly, the guards are still stationed by the door, Master Leon."

Leon stayed motionless.

Neitol placed the tray by the side table near the armchair. "I brought you some tea and a piece of dessert."

Leon emotionlessly stated, "I am in no mood to eat."

The older man poured out the tea. "Are you sure?" His hand gestured to the covered dish. "Sometimes a good dessert lightens the mood."

Leon did not respond.

Neitol sighed. "I know not what occurred and I will not pry, however, know that I am here if you are in need of aid or a listening ear."

Neitol lifted the teacup with its saucer for Leon to take. Leon looked at it for a moment and then took it.

Just as Neitol was about to leave, Leon called out.

"Thank you."

Neitol bowed and left the room.

Leon sat and sipped the tea in silence. It warmed his body to a certain extent.

When he finished with the tea, he moved to refill his cup. His hand bumped into the covering of the dessert. Slightly curious, Leon placed the cup down to uncover the dish.

His hand pulled the cover off and then halted in midair.

'Sora's apple cobbler.'

Low chuckles crept into the study until it grew louder. Leon's hand dropped the metal covering onto the carpet. His hand went to cover his face as his body shook.

"She comes to me in many forms," he managed to murmur around his laughter.

It was only too bad he wished to see her in a more corporal way.

His laughter was then tinged with resentment. 'If it weren't for the guards I could have gone to her.' His amusement died down. 'Hopefully, they will only stay for the night and are gone by the morning.'

Leon snorted softly at his thoughts. "Since when have I hoped for things?"

He grabbed the fork next to the dish. A piece made its way into his mouth. He chewed slowly and then sighed.

Sometimes he hated being right.

It did not taste the same without her.

Regardless, he finished the dessert—the reminder of his more joyous morning.

His insides warmed at the thought.

TM

Sora felt a few beads of sweat roll down her neck.

Her eyes were closed in concentration with her brows close together. Lips pursed and then her eyes flew open. Amber bled into her brown irises.

Sarine stood by with her thumb and forefinger cradling her chin. "Hmmm…I can't sense it as much, but it's still there."

Sora relaxed her face. Her magic withdrew from her eyes. "It's getting easier each time but I still need to work at it."

"Let's take a break dear." Sarine pulled another stool closer to the food prep table. Sora plopped onto her stool. Sarine pushed a plate of dark brown blocks towards her.

At the curious tilt of Sora's head, Sarine replied, "It's chocolate. If you like sweet things, you should like these."

Sora grabbed a block and took a small bite out of it. The block broke down into a thick, creamy substance on her tongue. She hummed in delight.

Sarine laughed at her reaction.

She took a piece and chewed it in thought. "Sora dear, Leon said that you're a fairy aide. Is that correct?"

Sora nodded her reply since her tongue was still coated with the thick chocolate.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't fairy aides generally use wands to cast spells?"

Swallowing the remainder of the chocolate Sora finally spoke, "Yes, that's correct."

"Then how can you be filtering magic through your eyes without your wand?"

Sora blinked at Sarine's words.

'I've been focusing magic into my eyes without my wand for a while now.' She thought about the times she used magic without her wand.

'…If I think about it, Leon can focus magic into his eyes quite readily. It must not be unusual…'

Sora lifted her hand out and focused on conjuring a flower on the table. Yellow magic sputtered out of her fingertips.

Nothing appeared.

"I guess only certain spells work without a wand."

Sarine watched Sora. "What did you try to do?"

"Conjure a flower out of magic."

Sarine hummed in thought. "I suppose spells that deal with the fairy itself can be done without a wand. When it comes to other spells that try to make or influence things outside of their bodies a wand is required."

"So enhancements, such as eyesight and perhaps speed, can be done without a wand." Sarine grinned. "Cloaking your magic from other magical beings should be doable without a wand. It's more of a survival tool than a spell."

"Survival?"

"Sure. Just like how hunters wear muted colors to hide among the bushes and trees as they hunt. They cannot chase prey if they are easily visible. Likewise, animals with winter coats have lighter fur colors so that they can hide in the snow. Cloaking your magic would fall under the same category. If you need to hide from a malevolent magic user but need to use magic to escape, it would be beneficial to your survival if your enemy cannot sense your magic."

Sarine's use of hunters reminded her of a silver haired pixie she knew of. 'When Leon enhances his eyes, I don't feel his magic being used. I can see it, but cannot sense it.'

The thought brought on another fascinating one. 'Leon said he wasn't trained in magic. He must have learned how to cloak his magic on his own.'

She added yet another thing to her unofficial list of 'things to be impressed about.'

"It does make sense, especially when you put it like that."

"I'm glad to have helped dear." Sarine grabbed another chocolate. "There's something I've been wondering about, perhaps you wouldn't mind sharing, but where exactly do fairies come from?"

Sora giggled. "You want to know if we sprout out of the thin air or something like that?"

Sarine shook her head. "Have people said that to you?"

Sora gave a rueful smile. "You'd be surprised at the things people have told me about fairies."

She looked thoughtfully at the chocolate in her hands. "In these recent times there are more inter-mingling of fairies with other magical beings and some humans. Our physiology is pretty much the same as humans except for a few things, such as the wings and sometimes brightly colored hair and eyes."

Her lips pursed at that.

"Though, most of the bright haired fairies go on to become forest fairies. You don't really see fairy aides with abnormal hair color. Or any with non-human traits besides wings, for that matter." Sora came out of her musing. "There is an old tale that speaks about the origins of the first fairies—you should know that there are many origin stories—but this one sticks out to me."

Sarine popped a chocolate into her mouth.

"One tale says that the first fairies came from flowers."

It was Sarine's turn to tilt her head in curiosity. "Flowers? Inside the stems or pollen?"

"No." Sora giggled. "From the middle of the bloom itself. When a flower bud blooms, young fairies awaken among the flower petals."

Sarine's eyes turned to the wild flowers sitting innocently on the counter. Her face looked aghast. "W-Would the fairy survive if their flower was plucked before it bloomed?"

Sora turned to look at vase. She let out peals of laughter.

Sarine's cheeks were slightly flushed. "It was a serious inquiry!"

"I-I'm s-sorry. Haha! Your face was very comical!"

Sora spoke again once her laughter calmed down. "The flowers were said to have been in the Fairy Court, so not just any flower had a fairy in it. Besides, it's a tale of the _first_ fairies. After the first fairies, the others are born more like the humans are. Though, the offspring are seen more as fellow fairies than the children of the ones who created them. As a general whole, we are the children of Oberon and Titania—it is the same manner in which a king may consider his subjects as his children."

Sora was used to that way of thinking until she came into frequent contact with human families. Silently, she added in, 'I tend to like the parent-child relationships of the humans better though.'

Her mind flashed to Daisy and Jerrid and how she wouldn't mind being part of a family.

Sarine stared expectantly at her.

Sora gave her head a little shake. 'I need to stop sidetracking even if it's in my head!'

"According to the old tale, all fairies can trace the bloom in which their first ancestor came from. Their magic is the key."

Sarine rested her head in her hand. "Their magic, you say? Hmm…yours is yellow and feels warm, but it's a comfortable feeling and not overpowering…"

Sora ate another chocolate. "Do you give up?"

The chef pursed her lips. "Is it a daffodil?"

"Nope!"

"A tulip."

"Nu-uh."

"A yellow iris."

"Nice flower, but no."

"A tiger lily!"

Sora laughed. "Now you're just saying anything."

Sarine gave a fake huff. "Well then, Miss Fairy. Will you enlighten me with your flower's name?"

Sora thought of Daisy's cute face as she gave her a nickname.

A bright smile made its way on Sora's face.

"A sunflower."

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AN: Fairy origin idea with the fairies/small people being born from blooms inspired by Hans Christian Anderson's Thumbelina story. The rest I made up. There's my disclaimer. Haha!


	26. Chapter 26

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Ken paced inside his room.

Their guard escorts were stationed in front of both Yuri's and Ken's doors.

'With their presence here, I can't keep an eye on Leon!' He was slightly comforted by the fact that Leon most likely had guards by his front door. 'If we can't go out, neither can Leon. But for how long will the guards stay? Will they linger with us and not stay with Leon? Or is the king equally suspicious of all of us?'

He paused to listen for any sounds coming out of Yuri's room.

All was quiet.

The orange head sighed in relief. 'This potion mixture was strong enough.'

Unconsciously, his hand reached up to his inner tunic pocket. Out of habit, he felt for the letter that he kept in there. Feeling the parchment, his hand retreated back to his side. 'I don't know why I still keep it. Do I keep it as prove that it occurred? Or perhaps out of a guilty conscience?'

He wasn't sure.

'Maybe I should just burn it once and for all.'

A finger twitched, but otherwise he remained motionless.

Ken ran a hand through his hair.

"How did I get into this mess?"

TM

Morning came, yet Leon did not.

Sora sat in the kitchen with Sarine. Breakfast consisted of oatmeal with cranberries. With her spoon, Sora swirled the tart berries around. She watched as the reddish purple juice dyed the surrounding oatmeal.

Sarine served another bowl before she glanced over to Sora.

'It doesn't look like Leon will come this morning.'

Sarine noticed that Sora had her hair in the same bun and wore the same stiff collared maroon dress. She tsked. 'A pretty girl like her should have a little more fun with her attire.'

Sora sat up straighter when Sarine walked over to her.

"Sora dear, do you not have any other outfits?"

She bashfully played with her food. "N-No. Usually, I just transform my dress into a long tunic. With the court etiquette rules though, I can only stay in my dress. I, uh, hadn't planned to visit the courts for more than a day." With that said, she scooped a spoonful of oatmeal into her mouth.

'What a pity.' Sarine looked at her hair again and then back at her dress.

An idea began to form in her mind.

"Sora, would you come upstairs after breakfast? I want to check something."

Sora blinked with the spoon in her mouth. She swallowed her food before asking, "Check on what?"

Sarine smiled. "I believe I have found a solution to your wardrobe problem."

TM

The guards stayed until the middle of the morning.

However, Ken stayed within the castle. As he ate breakfast, he mulled over Head Fairy Mizu's proposition. 'She said she wouldn't require anything of me…She just wants to share each other's findings.'

Would it be wise to share whatever he found with her or was this a trap?

'The king basically lied and told Prince Yuri about an alliance to bait him over to his kingdom. And it worked.' Ken sighed. 'The prince should have shared that information with me. Between the two of us, we could have debated over the pros and cons of the situation.'

_Two pairs of eyes…_

He paused with his cup in the air.

'With help, one can be focused on Leon and then the other can look around for anything questionable…' He had to admit, the idea sounded very appealing.

Ken took a sip of his milk.

'I wonder what she hopes to learn though.' That was a crucial question. He needed to make sure it wasn't anything that could incriminate Yuri or reveal their involvement with Leon.

'If people do find that out, they might want to dig a little further and see what the issue was about. I'm not sure if Leon's told anyone else about this "Sophie" lady…though I really can't see him as the type to be so chatty with others…'

The bell tower rang, sounding off the new hour. Ken ate the last of his muffin and then stood up.

'I told Sora I'd meet up with her in the later morning.'

He took a look in the mirror to make sure he was presentable.

Ken ran a comb through his hair once last time and then he was out the door.

TM

Outside the courts stood a lovely girl in a burgundy dress with white sleeves.

The bodice of the gown was like a corset for it had lace up ties on the front, but it was done loose enough for it to be comfortable while wearing it.

Her red hair was braided close to the head; the braiding started from above her left ear to finally wrap around to her right ear. An amber ribbon was somehow tied up at the end of the braid into a bow. Red bangs framed her honey eyes and a few shorter strands from the braid fell along her temples like brushstrokes against a canvas.

A young man saw her and paused in front of her.

He smiled and nodded his head in her direction.

Nervously, she politely nodded back.

Her hands tugged at her sleeves while her eyes looked down to watch the fidgeting motions. Thankfully, the man took the hint and walked away. She exhaled in relief.

'And Sarine wanted me to wear something brighter!'

Sora appreciated Sarine's kindness; however, she didn't want to attract attention to herself. 'I'm here with a purpose; I don't have time to be looking out for admirers or such.'

Though, one of the main reasons she didn't want to go for a livelier color was the fact that she was meeting Ken.

'I don't want to give him the wrong impression.' She bit her lip. 'The hair's kind of extravagant—at least for me—but I really don't have the heart to undo it.'

Sarine took the time to not only find the old dresses of her daughters but to also braid Sora's hair.

As Sora sat on a stool with Sarine brushing, braiding and humming behind her, she wondered if this was a typical treatment that mothers gave to their daughters. She felt cared for and did not mind having someone else do her hair.

'It was a nice feeling; it made me all cozy inside.'

Sora snapped her head up at the sound of her name.

Ken came forward. When she was able to see his nice blue tunic and tamed hair, her mind shouted out warnings.

It wasn't until he suddenly halted in front of her with wide blue eyes that she inwardly sighed.

Sora closed her eyes. She prepped herself, 'Just act like you usually do. Pretend you're in your old fairy aide outfit if that would make things easier.'

She opened her eyes and couldn't help the quirking of a brow. Whether he was consciously aware that he was perusing her quite openly, she did not know. But she knew she should stop him or else he will think it was welcomed.

One last thought ran through her mind. 'Why can't a girl dress up just because she feels like it?' Though, it was more like _Sarine_ felt like dressing her up…

Sora lightly cleared her throat. "Good morning Ken."

Ken shook his head. "Ah, uh, good morning Sora."

They awkwardly stood there for a bit before Ken gathered himself. He gestured an arm towards an archway. "So, uh, did you eat already?"

Sora responded that she did. "Thanks for asking." She folded her hands together to prevent them from fidgeting. Sora opened her mouth to ask about the dinner but then thought better of it. 'I think it would be too forward if I ask directly.'

She mentally reworded her question. "Did you have a good night?"

Ken's shoulders drooped. "Not exactly. The food was good, but the conversation…" He ran a hand down his face.

Sora waited for him to continue.

"The king is suspicious of Prince Yuri and has asked us to stay."

Sora turned her head towards him. "Suspicious? Of what?"

Tiredly he said, "He thinks Prince Yuri has something to do with the disappearance of his son."

She was about to ask if the king thought so because of the witch when she abruptly clamped her mouth. 'The public doesn't know that the missing prince was cursed. They just think he's missing!'

She inwardly huffed. 'There are so many secrets! I need to watch what I say.'

Seeing Ken's puzzled face, she responded, "That's so strange! Why would the king think that?"

"Well, we happened to be in the same woods that the prince was." Sora's stunned face made him stop walking to address her.

"It's not what it sounds like!"

Ken visibly flinched as his voice carried out into the open courtyard. A few nobles turned to look at them. When they looked away, Ken relaxed.

He grabbed her arm and pulled her over to stand by a stone pillar.

Ken looked around before continuing. "Prince Yuri was restless after his late father's death, you see. He wanted to hunt and the woods by the Volaire Kingdom had good game at the time."

Sora leaned in a little closer as Ken's voice lowered.

"The king found a report about us being in the area. Naturally, he thinks we had something to do with the missing prince."

Sora looked at Ken. "Did you happen to see him?"

Ken swallowed. "N-No. I didn't see him."

Sora noticed his discomfort. "Hm. Well, there must be some way to _prove_ that you didn't." She tapped her chin. "If you can get some sort of proof—like a report, eyewitness, or physical evidence—the king should have no trouble believing you."

Ken considered what she said. 'I don't think I can find anything to _clear_ us…but…maybe if I can find someone else to _incriminate_…'

His mind froze at the last word. 'What am I thinking? I can't do something like that!'

His guilty conscience chimed in, 'You've already done that.'

A hand went up to check on the letter in his pocket.

Sora's curious eyes watched the motion.

He halted as he recalled where he was.

His hand went up to run through his hair. "Proof…That's a good idea. Though, I don't know how long that would take and how limited our actions will be."

"Limited?"

Idly Ken responded, "The king had guards escort the three of us to our places. They stayed until the middle of the morning."

Sora leaned back against the pillar. "When you say 'three' do you mean Prince Yuri, yourself, and the silver haired nobleman?"

Ken started. "Y-You…How did you know Nobleman Leon was there?"

She shrugged nonchalantly. "Yesterday, when the nobles and I were leaving the courts, I looked back to wave good-bye when I noticed that he was staying behind. And then you just said 'the three of us,' so I just figured maybe the third person was that nobleman."

Sora knew she was toeing the line, but she wanted to see if Ken had any news for her about Leon. She held back a chuckle at the disgruntled look on Ken's face.

"I still can't believe you said that yesterday after I was trying to warn you about him."

This time she did giggle. "I was just repeating what Daisy said to me." A half grin appeared on her lips. "Though, I can understand her confusion."

"Yes, you stated that earlier as well." Ken gave her a flat look. "Nobleman Leon is anything but a prince."

Sora's grin evaporated—her joking mood was gone. She straightened up. "You still haven't told me what he's done to warrant your wariness of him."

Ken sputtered out words like a dysfunctional water fountain. "I-I didn't-it wasn't-I just—"

He sighed heavily. "He hasn't done anything to me personally—"

Sora smoothly cut him off. "So you're referring to rumors then."

"Observations," Ken bit out.

He took a half step into her space which prompted a half step back from her.

Ken tried to hold back his exasperation. "Haven't you notice the way the nobles whisper and stare at him when he walks into the courts? Doesn't that make you suspicious of him?"

His words were irritating her. 'Your actions are the most suspicious.'

Coolly she stated, "He has striking features; who wouldn't stare?"

Ken threw his hands up. "Why are you _defending_ some stranger?"

Sora pursed her lips. "Why are you _attacking_ said stranger?"

"Sora, I know you like to help people—and it's a quality I normally like in you—so I think you don't realize this fact," Ken disregarded her gasp. "But there are some people that you shouldn't bother trying to aid!"

Sora was fuming. 'So I can only be nice and helpful to people _you _approve of? The nerve! As if you know more about Leon than I do! I highly doubt that!'

"I think I've heard enough." She started to walk off but Ken's hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Sora, do you understand what I'm telling you?"

Her eyes flashed. "You think I can't be trusted to judge people by _myself_!"

"It's not the same meaning when you say it like that!" Ken turned her towards him. "You're too trusting of people, Sora; it's going to lead you into trouble one of these days. That's what I'm warning you about!"

She shrugged his hand off. "So then, since I'm too ignorant to decide for myself, who do I go to for that? You?"

A glimmer of elation flashed through Ken's eyes at the prospect of Sora depending on him. Her tone registered into his mind too late.

Ken realized his mistake. "It-that's not what I meant."

A fairy aide started walking towards them.

Sora took this opportunity to stiffly give Ken a little curtsey and then walked away.

Ken chose to not follow her—he had a meeting to get to.

What Ken failed to notice was the shadow that moved after Sora.

TM

The outer courtyard disappeared into the royal gardens.

People mulled about the flowered areas. Sora went away from the groups of people and walked towards the bushes and trees. The pathway she was on was lined by tall thick bushes. There were lesser people here, but still too many.

She continued on.

Finally, her eyes found a willow tree by a small manmade lake.

She pushed the long drooping branches aside like a fortuneteller's beaded curtain. A couple sat near the lake.

Sora walked to the other side of the willow.

She made sure that the couple couldn't see her before she hitched up her skirt. Once loosely knotted, she began to climb the willow.

As quietly as she could she lifted herself up the thicker branches. When she was high enough she settled down on a few branches.

She patiently waited.

The couple down below laughed.

Sora leaned back and closed her eyes.

She soon felt the slight tremors of motion through the branches. When the tremors stopped she opened her eyes.

Leon was crouched beside her. One hand held onto a branch for balance.

She quirked a brow—Leon's favorite non-verbal response.

He did not say anything. Instead he extended a hand towards her.

She reached out and placed her hand in his. He pulled her against him; the action caused Sora to sit on her knees. Her arm came up to curl around his neck.

Now that she was secured, Leon whispered to her, "You noticed."

She nuzzled his cheek. "How could I not detect a very familiar gaze following me?"

Her quiet words brushed against his face.

He lowly chuckled. "I am honored that you can recognize me."

His rumble tickled her cheek.

"I don't think it's normal for people to be proud of that fact," she teased.

He arched a brow, as if to say '_Normal? What's that?'_

At least, that's how Sora interpreted it as. She held in the urge to giggle.

"What did you need to see me about?"

Leon's face smoothed over. "Could you come with me in your fairy form?"

She blinked. "Well, yes."

"Good."

He leaned his face into her neck. Her flowery scents drifted into his nose.

"We're going to visit Sophie."

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Mizu's form was impeccable.

Dainty pale hands lifted the teacup to her painted lips. Black lashes lowered as she tasted the tea.

Ken couldn't quite look away.

The teacup hid her small smirk. She soaked up the attention, bathed in it as it fed her massive ego.

The cup withdrew from her lips—as did the smirk. "Fairy Aide Ken, did you think about my proposal?"

He thought about it. His mind even went back to the conversation he had with Sora.

'I need proof…'

Ken gave a little bow. "I would be happy to share information with you."

He was running out of options…

…and time was not his friend.

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The restricted wing of the castle was undeniably gloomy.

Heavy dark curtains half blocked the windows. Leon held a torch in his hand while the other hand rested against his bag. The hand steadied the bag as he walked.

He turned a corner to walk down a hallway.

Leon noticed paintings along one side of the wall. His torchlight shone on a few. He caught scenes of battle and great hunts.

Leon scoffed softly. 'Why bother having these here? You need a torch to see them.'

A bolted door was at the end of the hall. The male fairy aide that guarded it pulled his wand out.

"Stay right there."

Leon stopped and watched the fairy come over. "Identification, please."

Leon handed over his family ring. The male checked it with his wand. He nodded.

"Open your bag, please."

The fairy poked his wand into it. Finding nothing unusual, the fairy nodded his approval. He gestured for Leon to follow. With his wand, the fairy undid the bolt.

He pushed the door open for Leon.

"Simply knock on the door when you are done."

Leon nodded his understanding.

The door closed behind him.

His steps echoed as he walked on stone.

There was hardly anything in the room. A small table with a pitcher was off to the side. Several candle stands were placed near the raised bed in the middle of the room. The high ceilinged room only had one window.

A thin ray of light passed through it to land on the still figure on the bed.

His hair moved even though he had stopped.

Light sputtering reached his ear. He turned his head to look at his left shoulder. Tiny hands furiously parted his hair. Sora finally escaped the silver vines to sit on his shoulder.

"Hiding in your hair was probably a bad idea."

His brow quirked. "I thought you like my hair."

Leon was ecstatic to note that her whole form tinted a dark pink.

"Not when I'm in it!"

He had a response that would have turned her into a deep red; however, teasing Sora would have to wait.

Leon turned his attention to Sophie.

She was still the same as the last time he saw her: pale, still, and lifeless.

"Sora, can you concentrate on the curse without magic?"

She flitted off his shoulder. "Well, it would depend on how concealed the spell is…but I have been working on cloaking my magic. It's not perfect, but if I need to draw out some it shouldn't be too hard for me to cloak it from detection."

Sora looked at him for any misgivings but saw none.

With that, she flew closer to analyze Sophie.

"Hmm…from the outside her sleeping form looks the same as Layla's," she muttered to herself.

Her tiny hands stretched out. 'I'll start by looking at the same area Layla's was in.'

Sora concentrated and she was overwhelmed.

Cold, chilling ice swept over her.

Her hands unknowingly shook. She found herself falling down.

Alarmed, Leon stretched his hands out beneath her.

Her hands pulled away to break the sensation of the curse. Sora managed to control her wings and slow down her descent.

When she landed onto his palm Leon slowly drew her up to softly speak. "Sora, what happened?"

Sora rubbed her arms. The curse's chill lingered with her. "It-it startled me, that's all. The force of it…it doesn't seem like it's only in one specific area."

She looked up at him.

"I need to take another look. Can I stand on your palm?" She gave a wiry smile. "I don't feel like free falling again." As an afterthought, she added in, "It's only fun when you _know_ you can easily fly up before you hit the ground."

Disbelief filtered through his eyes. 'She's done that for fun?'

He shook his head at her. "Fairy activities are quite the hazard."

Sora crossed her arms. "This is coming from the man who likes to climb really tall trees."

Amusement replaced the disbelief. "Touché."

They returned to the matter at hand.

Before she felt around for the curse, Sora brought out a small barrier around herself. 'Hopefully this will dull the intensity of it.'

She concentrated. The chill was there, but it wasn't as overwhelming.

Sora silently cheered.

Leon watched as her hands moved around. Every once in a while she'd tell him to move over some more.

After a while he saw her outstretched limbs shaking again. Before he could comment on it she relaxed and plopped down on his palm. 'Is it just the poor lighting or is Sora paler than earlier?'

Sora took down the barrier. She could feel her teeth chattering slightly. 'So cold!'

Seeing Leon's eyes, she stuttered out, "J-j-just g-g-ive m-me a mo-o-ment."

She rigorously rubbed her arms.

Sora suddenly heard a ripping sound. Before she could look for the source of it, a piece of cloth was draped over her.

She desperately wrapped it around herself. It was around her head as well, leaving only her face visible.

"T-Thanks."

She felt heat returning to her body. She couldn't help but sigh in contentment.

Leon seated himself on the edge of Sophie's bed. "Are your wings alright under the cloth?"

She nodded. "I folded them down against my back."

He nodded back. His eyes looked at his sister.

"Judging by your reaction," he lowly intoned, "I take it that the curse is very strong in Sophie."

"Yes." She sighed. "I'm not sure if it's because she's been cursed for a while now or if it has always been this strong."

"The curse…it seems to be throughout out her body." Sora hesitated for a moment. "…it's more like a paralysis than hibernation."

"Paralysis…" his eyes dulled. "Can such a curse be broken or removed?"

"I'll need time to think and research about it," she quietly stated.

He got up. "Thank you for doing this."

His free hand moved the blanket and fur up to cover Sophie properly.

Sora's heart warmed at Leon's gesture yet at the same time it cried for Sophie's condition. 'I'm this cold just from sensing it. I can't even imagine what it's like to be cursed with something like this.'

He took one last look at his sister. 'We will try, Sophie. Hang on.'

"Let's go."

Sora stood up. "Wait."

When she had Leon's attention, she stepped forward. "I don't know what happened, but Ken said the king had guards by your doors." Worry crept into her eyes. "What do we do if the king doesn't let you see Sophie anymore?"

"I'm not certain." Leon looked around the room. 'Are there any weak spots in the wall that we can somehow break through?'

Sora copied Leon. Her eyes darted about. 'Where can we enter secretly?'

Her sight went to the ray of sun. "There is a window."

"That would enable you to enter…" he let his words drift off.

"I could shrink you as well, if need be. I'll carry both of us in." She chirruped.

"I just need to see if it's easy to open." She dropped the makeshift blanket onto his palm.

He watched as her wings lifted up from her back and extended out into its usual butterfly shape. They fluttered a few times to get the blood going.

She crouched and launched off of his hand.

He saw the sunlight filter through her wings to show the intricate patterns on it. Her wings made a part of the light on Sophie look like it was reflecting through a stained glass window.

'Astonishing.'

Light scratching sounded into the chamber.

Leon looked back to the door to make sure the fairy aide didn't open it.

It stayed closed.

Sora landed onto his shoulder. "Phew! I couldn't open it, but there was a piece of the glass that was broken. It's big enough for us to get into so I loosened it up. I kept it in place so it won't be noticeable."

With Leon's thanks, she folded her wings back.

Sora warily eyed his hair like it was hazardous. "Back into the wilderness I go."

She felt him chuckle under his breath.

Sora pursed her lips. 'At least someone's enjoying the situation.'

TM

Mizu confidently walked back from her meeting with the king.

'I'd say everything's falling into place.'

She opened the door to her rooms. The title 'Head Fairy' received many perks. Mizu walked into her personal study.

She fluffed up her seat pillow before sitting down at the desk. Her hand reached for a quill and a piece of parchment.

_I've set things into motion. Now we wait and see what comes._

_Signed,_

_Mizu_

She let the ink dry before folding it up.

A sooty basin was propped up on a small stand. Mizu walked over to it with the letter. She placed it in the basin, and then she grabbed some black powder from a pouch next to the basin. Quickly she dashed the powder onto the letter.

It disappeared with a puff of black smoke.

Mizu coughed as she fanned it away from her. "That's the only downside to this instant sending."

But it got the job done.

She smiled at how well her plans were turning out.

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AN: So much stuff going on! Hopefully, I'm not losing anyone through this mess. Haha!


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

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The next morning Ken rose bright and early.

After doing the morning duties of his station, the carrot top walked down the halls to the castle library.

Few were in it which suited Ken just fine.

He walked down the shelves of the main library. 'Where should I start? There are so many things I need to research.'

Yuri had asked him to do some digging about Layla's curse—though, for that one he'd need to talk to Sora about. Then there was their current problem with King Volaire and then his own personal problem with Sora.

He sighed. 'Well, it's not like I could have told her about the happenings between Prince Yuri and Leon.' Ken wasn't certain, but he had a feeling that Sora furthering her interest in the nobleman would not be a good idea.

Though, for whom he wasn't entirely sure.

His mind blatantly said that he was just a little green with envy at Sora's perusal of a stranger. Her attention was something he still wanted.

The rational side of him said that it would be bad because of Layla's curse. This "Sophie" was cursed, according to Leon. They already are dealing with one cursed lady; they can't afford to be distracted with another, especially a stranger's issue.

He knew if he mentioned the cursed acquaintance of Leon's, Sora will undoubtedly want to help him.

'She's always at the ready to lend a hand; that trait, while admirable, will inevitably lead her to take on too much. She would have been stretched out thin and felt split between trying to solve two curses at the same time. It would have driven her to exhaustion.' Ken tried to warn her of that, but of course he wasn't able to verbalize it properly.

He almost always stuttered through sentences around her.

Her involvement with Leon and Sophie would eventually take her to the quarrel between Yuri and Leon, which would lead her down to the fact that Yuri _did_ know a Sophie that he had claimed to not have met, which was untrue because they _did_ meet for they met in the missing prince's campsite.

And that would prove that Yuri _lied_ about meeting the prince.

'Though, Prince Yuri's not aware that he lied about that.' Ken sighed. 'How did things get so tangled up?'

'This whole mess started all to save face and honor; but was honor lost in the process?' Ken did not want to consider that any further. If he did, then he was sure that he would see that he saved his and Yuri's reputations only to have already lost his own.

He was saving an empty title.

Sadly, it is all that he has.

Ken drew his mind back to the issue with Sora.

'What else could I have said to make her strange interest in the nobleman disappear?' His eyes idly read titles on the spines of books. 'What else can I do?'

The genealogy of the royal family gave him pause.

He considered the book, his mind quickly coming up with ideas. 'If I can find something in Leon's family history; something that a parent, cousin, uncle, aunt, or such has done that was against the rules or questionable and link it back to the whispers in the courts…maybe that will be enough to make Sora lose interest.'

"I need proof," he muttered.

He went to the front table to see if the library had such records.

TM

Leon walked back to the willow tree. Thankfully, there weren't people around this time. Taking the side of caution, Leon climbed up the willow to use the cover of its branches.

Once he settled down on a branch, a small Sora jumped off of his shoulder.

He had picked her up from the inn. As a precaution, Sora decided to go in her fairy form in case someone was tailing Leon again. She hoped that if they see him wandering the castle gardens by himself they'd back off—at least for a little while.

Doing a quick scan of the area, she found that she didn't sense any magic nearby. 'I'll cloak my magic just in case there's someone incognito.'

Her brows furrowed in concentration.

Leon found a human sized Sora kneeling in front of him.

She frowned again and her wings disappeared with a light shower of magic.

He watched her with a curious expression on his face. "I was not aware that you no longer need to use your wand."

Sora gave him a smile. "Sarine and I figured out that I don't need a wand for certain spells— such as the ones that deal directly with me and my safety." At the mention of the chef she narrowed her eyes at him.

She huffed. "You troll. Why didn't you tell me that you not only _know_ Sarine but that you _told_ her I'm a fairy aide?"

Her comment took a while to process.

He had noticed that she no longer wore her maroon dress, but he hadn't really seen what it was. The forest green dress was darker than her hair—it made her hair look softer—and the cut of the bodice accentuated her slender waist better than her fairy aide outfit ever could.

His eyes traveled to her braided hair and stayed fixed on it. 'She still wears my ribbon.' Leon felt a sense of satisfaction from seeing its presence.

"Must have slipped my mind," Leon absently replied.

Sora was a little surprised by his distracted response.

'What's got his attention?' She frowned. "Well, try to remember these things or else I'm going to lecture you about it each time."

He let out a noncommittal sound. She rolled her eyes and decided to drop it.

There was something more urgent she wanted to discuss.

"I've been thinking about the curse." She thoughtfully looked at the branches. "When I sensed Layla's, the curse was serpent-like. If their curses are similar, then maybe Sophie's curse has a serpent-like quality as well—especially since the curses are from the same person." Her fingers twirled some hair near her temple. "It's got to deal with her paralyzed state…"

She turned back to look at Leon. "What trait or talent does a serpent have that could cause that?"

Leon's eyes drifted away from her hair. 'Trait?'

Grey orbs widened. "Venom."

Sora nodded vigorously. "Yes, that what I thought."

She scooted closer to him. "So now we just need to think of what fairy tales would fit with Sophie."

His mind ran through what he knew about Sophie's curse. 'Sleeplike state, venom, Prince Yuri needed, Kiss Cure…'

Meanwhile, Sora thought out loud. "Let's see…if it's not like 'The Sleeping Beauty,' there's 'Cinderella'—there aren't any curses though, 'The Polar Bear Prince'—eh, he was kind of cursed." Her fingers ticked off the tales as she went.

"In 'The Little Mermaid' she drank a potion of sorts and had to win the prince's love…though she didn't fall into a sleeplike state after drinking it."

Sora's words triggered his memory.

Leon's eyes focused on her. "Can venom be considered a poison?"

Sora pondered upon that. "I don't see why not."

"Then, I believe it might be 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarves,'" he said. "She falls into a lifeless state after biting a poisoned apple," his eyes revived as he spoke, "and a prince's kiss awakens her."

"Oh yeah, that one is in the fairy tale collection," Sora distractedly stated. "I tend to forget because there aren't any fairies in it or very few magical beings—like the dwarves and the mirror."

She stilled at her words.

"Oooh!"

Sora's hands fluttered about. "There's something about that story; we discussed it during training and one fairy had mentioned how she had heard a slightly different ending!"

Her hands clenched. "But I can't remember it! Argh! It's in there," she tapped a fist against her head.

"I do recall that some versions say he was a noble," a grin appeared on her face, "but I don't think that detail really matters in the grand scheme of things."

Leon shook his head in humor. "Perhaps if you were to look at the tale you can recall the _relevant_ details."

Sora stuck her tongue out at him. "It will come to me. Don't be an impatient evil stepmother."

"Stepmother?"

Of all the things to call him, a term for a parent was the least likely he would have thought she'd use. There's nothing parental about the way he felt or thought about her—aside from wanting to keep her safe and happy.

Although, those feelings stemmed from affection for her that was borderline romantic—though it was very possible that they already crossed that threshold.

He came out of his thoughts with Sora's voice.

"Snow White's stepmother tried to kill her in multiple ways." Sora gave a half shrug, "She seemed really impatient to become the fairest of them all."

Leon thought about that information. 'Impatient and wants to get her way immediately regardless of the innocents hurt…' He scoffed. 'Sounds like the witch.'

"Rereading the tale will help." Sora frowned. "Unfortunately, I don't have a copy of that fairy tale with me."

She perked up as an idea came to her. "I bet I can take a look at the castle library. There tends to be a section for fairy aides and most times guest fairy aides are free to come in. I'm not really a guest but I can just ask—ooohh…"

She deflated slightly. 'That might be awkward…no, scratch that. It _will_ be awkward.'

Leon caught the shift. "Is there a problem?"

Sora puffed out some air. "I'm probably going to have to ask Ken…"

She suddenly leaned towards him expectantly. "Unless you happen to have a copy I can look at."

He was almost upset at himself for having to answer in the negative to those hopeful eyes.

"Unfortunately, I do not." Leon tilted his head curiously. "Does the problem have to do with the fight you had with Ken?"

"Yeah, it's going to be pretty awk—wait one billy-goat-gruff second! Yesterday, I thought you started to follow me when I left the outer courtyard area!" Her eyes narrowed and her leery finger lifted up to point at him. "When _did_ you start following me?"

Leon smirked. "Sooner than you assumed."

"W-What did you hear?" Sora hoped it wasn't during an embarrassing moment.

His eyes drifted to the side in recollection—though, he already knew what part he had heard. "I believe you were accusing Ken of verbally attacking a stranger."

Sora breathed out in relief, not catching his ruse. 'That's not really embarrassing.'

Leon's eyes slanted mischievously as Sora fell for his trap.

He saw Sora straighten up suddenly, no doubt sensing his devious intentions. 'That won't help you now.' He could feel his lips curve in devilish delight.

"I have been remiss, that is not where I came in…" Leon leaned over her with a roguish smirk on his face. She squeaked as she bent backwards—she resorted to gripping his shoulders for support.

Her eyes were wide with surprise and anticipation. He reveled in her emotions—she brought out the teasing side of himself faster than anyone he's ever known.

Not that he was complaining about it.

He welcomed the change; he found himself feeling lighter because of it. Especially now when it diverted him away from thinking about the curses and other issues that plagued his mind—if only for a little while.

Focusing on her was an appealing idea.

His hand went to her upper back to hold her. A warm rosy color bloomed on her face. 'Definitely a much more appealing focus.'

Incredibly close, he revealed in a low tone, "You spoke of a noble whom no one could look away from; one who's 'striking features'—as I recall you saying—made it so that he was mistaken for a prince."

Her cheeks burned with a blush made from embarrassment and exhilaration. 'So he did hear that part.'

His eyes were filled with restrained blue fire. "Such praise given…it makes me a bit jealous." His nose ran along her cheek with a feathery caress.

Her hands fisted his tunic. She relished his playful antics.

She still wasn't sure how they got from talking about curses to flirting. Though, she couldn't help but want to participate.

She liked flirting with him. He didn't sneer at her advances; rather he welcomed them and pushed her to continue—but he didn't push her too far, just enough to make her blush. She was glad that she didn't have to be on guard in that aspect.

Even when she had an idea of what he had in mind, he added his own twist to it that was a pleasant surprise.

He made her want to find out his quirks and responses. Such as now in this willow tree with just the two of them around.

"Well," she lowly stated, "you _should_ be jealous."

Blue fire nearly scorched her; it goaded her to carry on.

Her voice strengthened with confidence. "If I ever ran into him, I promised myself that I would do something."

Leon's smirk grew.

"Care to share what that is?" he murmured, his breath fanned her face—the action sent her thoughts in a whirlwind. When they finally settled down, a tantalizing idea made itself known.

"Explaining it to you means nothing." Her lips quirked up. "Doing it is more effective."

Without further prompt she merged their mouths together.

For her bold actions she was rewarded with the sight of his eyes widening. It only lasted for a scant two seconds. His pale lashes lowered temptingly; blue fire shone through half covered eyes.

Her own eyelids lowered to match his.

Petite hands slid purposefully into his hair—one laid against the back of his head while the other lightly scratched the nape of his neck.

She felt him shiver from her ministrations.

Slowly, she pushed against him to straighten herself—her fingers in his hair made soothing circles on his scalp. The persuasive action convinced him to let her sit up.

Soft lips enticingly entreated him to move again as she gradually led him down to diagonally lean against the branches.

Her arms wrapped around his shoulders. She let out a sigh as she felt his hands slide up her back and gently brought her to his chest.

His hands comfortably ran along her back as her fingers stroked against his neck.

Their worries slithered to the back of their minds—each other's presence holding back the anxieties.

TM

Sora had wanted to kiss him for days now.

It had been since that time in the woods when he told her all the things he liked about her. His eyes were so tender and warm; she was so happy and full of affection for him—maybe even love. Though, she wasn't sure if she should readily label her feelings for him as love.

Regardless, she wasn't able to reciprocate the feelings he brought out in her.

They did have a few kisses since then—she had no complaints about them other than their short duration.

However, they weren't kisses from her.

She wanted to start it and be the one to draw him in. While she has started a kiss before, Leon tended to be the one to start most of their kisses.

Recently, the closest kiss from her was the one in her room when he thought he caught her and gave her the ribbon. She had thought about that moment being the kiss from her, but it didn't seem like the right time.

It still felt like it would be a kiss started by him.

Now, though…this was started by her.

'I don't know if this would be considered "good timing" or not.' She mentally shrugged. 'It doesn't diminish its meaning.'

This was a gift; a return of her affections for him.

TM

Leon didn't break away from her—he couldn't even if the witch were to show up and blast some magic at him or if that insufferable dragon came and tried to take a bite out of him.

Those thoughts should have worried him.

That situation should have made him realize how vulnerable of a position he was currently in—especially he, the hunter and overall overly cautious person.

Even his own sister joked about how mistrustful he was. Though, his cautious nature tended to not be misplaced.

But he couldn't bring himself to be worried.

Not here, not now with Sora kissing him and touching him and rousing so much feeling in him that he hadn't thought was possible.

At least, not with him—not the outcast of the courts or the wary being that hid in the woods with very little social contact.

He hadn't told her everything about the courts or the fact that the king was aware that there were two magic signatures at his son's campsite.

He would blame his silence on his pride—his damned, wounded pride. It was strange how he clung onto it even though it was a tattered rag not fit for wearing.

His mind whispered that his omitted words were also caused by another thing.

'_Fear,' _his mind inputted, '_of her rejection…fear of her withdrawal if she knew the delicate position you are in.'_

His hands paused along her back at the thought. 'I seem to recall asking Sora what she was afraid of when she wouldn't finish her sentence in the maze…What an irony I cannot refute.'

He supposed he also feared _for_ her—of the consequences that could come from associating with him. Hence his hesitance to ask her if the aides can sense Sophie's magic.

His mouth turned down. 'If the king were to suspect me of something, she could be labeled as an accomplice or worse...'

An image of Alen's arm in a sling and bandages around his torso came to him. The idea of that happening to Sora greatly bothered him.

He unconsciously stopped responding to her kiss.

Sora pulled away to look at his face.

Her honey eyes grew concerned at his frown. She pushed up from his shoulders to place a kiss between his brows. He felt her place another and another, calming him and mollifying his fear. His brows relaxed.

She wandered away from his forehead, petal soft texture brushing against his face—seemingly they searched for something, yet her lips were content to find nothing but warm skin.

One of his hands came up to touch her face.

Without missing a beat, she turned to rub her cheek against his hand. Her lips kissed the tips of his fingers individually and unhurriedly.

"You give me too much," he murmured.

'And I have given you too little,' he thought.

He couldn't see how she could risk so much by helping him with Sophie; her own ward was cursed and instead of staying around Ken and Prince Yuri she was here with him, having readily sneaked into a restricted area yesterday and now sneaked into the gardens with him this afternoon.

Though, what baffled him the most was the amount of affection she was bestowing upon him when he was worrying over her safety. Surely, she was aware of the implications of her constantly being with him.

How could she kiss him so, knowing that there were perils that could come from his association?

He found himself humbled at the depth of her heart.

TM

_"You give me too much._"

Sora paused at his words for a mere two seconds before she gave him a heartwarming smile.

"I don't think you'll say that for long."

She came back to his mouth and nipped his lips leisurely.

Though he was confused by her words, he found himself called to her sweet lips.

He attempted to follow her mouth's motions. It took him a few moments until they were in blessed sync, the electricity in their nerves sang out the pleasure of a wordless melody. It was a song so ancient and revered; so calming and lively that the opposing emotions overwhelmed him, putting him in a sightless daze.

Her lips pulled away to disrupt their sweet harmony.

"I have something to ask of you," she softly spoke.

She could ask him for the stars and he'd find a way to gather them for her.

Her hands came up to cradle his face. "Leon, w-would you—"

She faltered for a moment. His eyes widened as he realized that this was the issue that she tried to breach when they were in the maze.

He saw resolve slowly cement into her smoky honey eyes.

All of his senses narrowed onto her.

"Would you consider courting me?" she blurted out.

He blinked a few times.

Numbed with shock, he asked—just to verify that he heard what he thought he did, "Are you requesting that I enter into a courtship with you?"

She didn't nod, she wouldn't settle for that. 'I just expressed my feelings. I'm not going to finish this half-heartedly.'

Her eyes focused onto him. "Yes."

Seconds ticked by in silence.

She began to fret over his lack of a response when she noticed that vibrations traveled through her arms which caused her hands to shake. Puzzled, she looked at her hands and then at the face they held. 'Is he laughing?'

Her question was answered when the vibrations began to get stronger and his head tilted back to laugh out loud.

Her gut twisted at the sound.

His reaction hurt. It hurt and stung and burned her in a not so pleasant way.

She began to pull her hands away but his hands grasped her wrists.

"Let go." She tried to tug her hands free. "I don't need to hear anymore."

"I think you do," he half chuckled.

Her eyes prickled. 'I know I jokingly call him a troll, but I didn't think it was true.'

"I get it. You think it's funny and ridiculous that I would ask such a thing from your person," she bit out. "There's no need to further _bother_ you for an explanation."

Leon shook his head at her. "You misunderstood my laughter. I laughed because only you would ask me that when it is traditionally the _male_ that does the asking." He let out a few chuckles. "You caught me off guard."

He let her hands go.

'Though, I also laugh in disbelief. You think asking this is taking when it is another way of giving.' His eyes softened. 'You truly do give me too much.'

Her cheeks darkened in color. "Oh."

Now she felt like a fool. 'At least I didn't call him a real troll out loud.' She nearly cringed at the thought.

Her eyes shyly met his. "I, uh, only know a thing or two about the courting rules. But I thought it would be better to ask _that_ than what I'm used to in fairy customs."

"Ask me in a fairy term," he persuaded with a purr.

A bit bashful, she stated, "There's really not a fairy equivalent to the human term. Fairies mainly have two terms and neither one of them properly translates into the meaning of 'courtship.'"

His brow lifted up.

Sora distractedly twirled some strands of his hair. "There's…'lovers,'" her face was delightfully red, "and then there's 'life partners.'"

Hurriedly she explained, "But neither one is the same as the term 'courtship.' From what I understand, those in courtship are not exactly lovers and it doesn't necessarily mean the two involved _will_ become life partners. It's more that they want to see if—" she nervously bit her lip, "if they _could_ be life partners."

Leon looked at her, deciphering and interpreting her heart—he heard the murmurs of it as she spoke; he felt it beat and come alive as they kissed.

He reflected on his own thoughts these past few days, especially yesterday in the courts when he saw Sora holding a child. "We seem to have been thinking along the same lines."

Sora's fingers halted in his hair. "W-What?"

With his hand, he released his silver locks from her fingers and then proceeded to entwine her fingers with his.

"Before I respond, I wish to address a few things."

Leon's face seemed too somber for the occasion. But Sora gave him her attention.

"We won't be able to see each other regularly nor be out in public together." His thumb wistfully ran over her skin. "Our courtship would not be properly carried out until after the curses are cured."

His eyes pinned hers. "Even the missing prince's."

She considered what he told her.

Her free hand came up to cover his. "We've been able to see each other every so often. And as for being out in public…" her eyes pointedly darted about their current surrounding.

A half smile appeared on her lips. "I think we can manage."

"I am aware that the curses come first. I will not ask you to abandon your sister nor the others to their curses, as I will not be willing to abandon them to such terrible fates." She placed a reassuring kiss onto his knuckles. "You do not need to worry on that account."

He felt his hand tingle pleasantly.

"I am fine with our courtship being the way we presently interact with each other." She blushed lightly, "…if you agree, that is. I just want to know _how_ to interpret our interactions and words."

Her hand touched the ribbon in her hair. "Is it safe for me to take this gift as a sign of affection?"

He watched her shyly look at him with a rosy tint to her cheeks.

Leon thought of his concern about her being associated with him.

If he truly wanted to keep her safe, he would have let her mistaken his laughter for scorn and not taken the time to explain it. She would have climbed out of this tree and walked away from him—most likely too hurt to come near him again.

That's what his so called logical side would have done had it been in control.

It would have ignored the fact that she was the one who saved him from the dragon when it had coiled tightly around him despite her injuries; and ignored the fact that she healed his ribs when she was low on magic.

It would have pushed aside the fact that she has done so much to help him find a cure for Sophie, yesterday and the other times included.

His cold logic would have dismissed how much he would miss her if she were to shun his presence—her presence meant more than just another person by his side.

She was his sanity and his laughter.

She invigorated him when he thought that part of him was gone with his childhood.

She was the source of his ability to hope again.

His selfish side recognized all of this. It knew what his soul longed for.

"Yes," Leon stated.

"You may take this as another." His hand brought hers up to place a kiss on her palm.

She blushed, but didn't look away. He placed her hand along his chest.

Hands came up to cup her face.

"And take this as my answer," he softly murmured.

He molded their lips together in a simple kiss, yet its implication spoke volumes.

When they parted, Sora ventured to ask, "Is it too sudden for me to ask you to dinner tomorrow night?"

He laughed.

She pursed her lips. "Does that mean it _is_ too sudden or did I mess up on the courting rules again?"

"No to the first part." He leaned forward to steal a kiss. She hummed into it.

"Yes to the second part," he murmured against her lips, "but it matters not to me. I will be there."

Sora smiled at him.

He marveled at the sight.

"I believe you are correct." Seeing her confusion, he stated, "You said I should be jealous at the praise you gave that nobleman." His voice lowered to a rumble, "That plus the kiss you wanted to give him...I would say I would be _very_ jealous."

She gave a half smirk. "Well then, it's a good thing I ran into you instead."

"Agreed," he rumbled.

He pressed forward for another kiss.

She pressed back to deepen it.

TM

Charlotte and Julie knocked on an intricately carved door.

'Someone takes their new role too expensively,' Julie noted in her mind. She was afraid of Mizu hearing it.

The fairy opened the door. "Yes, what is it?"

"You've got a message, Head Fairy." Charlotte presented the scroll to her.

Mizu grabbed it, opened it, and read it.

She blinked at the contents. 'Fairy Aide Ken wants court news on Nobleman Leon?' She wanted to laugh. 'The aide of Prince Yuri wants me to give him the gossip of the courts!'

Mizu primly sniffed.

"Give this message to—" Mizu paused before she said 'the biggest gossips of the courts' when she realized that she was looking at them. "You two fulfill Fairy Aide Ken's request."

Mizu narrowed her eyes at them. "And for fairy's sake, be discrete about it. If I catch wind about Fairy Aide Ken's request in the halls I _will_ be assuming it was spread by the two of you and you both _will_ be punished accordingly."

Mizu usually gave them vague orders, nothing worth gossiping about. Anything specific and she pressured them not to talk like she did just now. So far, she hasn't heard word of any messages she sent for them to handle. 'I guess even they know when to keep a tight lip.'

They took the scroll and curtseyed.

Back in their rooms, the two read the scroll.

Charlotte was the first to speak up. "So like, he wants gossip?"

Julie shrugged. "I don't see what else it could be."

Charlotte grabbed a quill. "This is going to be the easiest assignment!"

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AN: Sora and Leon's interaction took me a while to smooth out. Originally, it was going to be a short scene in the last chapter, but I kept thinking that it needed to be expanded upon. I'm glad I held it off until this chapter. It seems more heartwarming. :)


	28. Chapter 28

AN: Whew! October's not been a good month for me, just one thing after another. Sorry for the later than usual update, but I hope you guys enjoy this new chapter. :)

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Ken stayed up all night.

He rubbed his tired eyes. 'Family trees are so complex! It's so frustratingly detailed; some accounts even mention the bastard children only to have them crossed out at a later date.' He could follow the ebb and flow of restricted ties. Some generations were looser about whom to call family and which males could carry the family name. Other generations strictly guarded the name; the passing of the title was a privilege rather than a right.

Ken was close to reading about the more recent Oswald family members. He reached the sire of Thendrel when a knock at his door resounded. He sighed, placed a marker in the book, and went to answer the door.

A servant handed him a scroll.

When he undid the tie, its length was half his height. He sputtered, "What in all the world is this?!" Ken moved his hands to the top of the letter. "The information I requested? B-But, why is it so long?!"

The servant cleared his throat.

"Pardon the interruption, however, I was told to inform you that a young lady wishes to speak with you. A Miss Sora, I believe."

Ken blinked at the news. "Ooh."

When Ken did not continue, the servant ventured to say, "Shall I let her know that you will be coming down soon?"

"Yes! That would be good." Ken started to roll the scroll up. He paused midway. Straightening his spine, he spoke again. "I take that back. Please, bring her here."

The servant nodded and left.

TM

Sora stood next to Pietro, her soldier friend from the first time she visited the courts.

"Thanks again for getting another message through."

Pietro shrugged. "After doing the first one, I realized that doing a second one wouldn't be so bad." The guard's eyes glinted. "Speaking of last time, I take it that you were able to meet up with your nobleman."

She blinked. "Why, yes. What made you ask?"

He grinned. "Well, I couldn't help but notice the mark peeking from your collar."

Sora squeaked, her hand coming up to tug her white high collar up. She was forced to wear her fairy aide uniform after last night.

Leon came to dinner, as was expected.

Sarine did her hair half up, this time with little white flowers in the braids that were tied back with the ribbon. Her dress was a lavender shade that had Leon's approval as was apparent by the way he kept looking at her.

They decided to eat in her room just to be on the safe side—it wouldn't do if Ken or someone happened to walk into this particular inn and found them eating at the same table. Sarine had told Sora to just come down if they wanted anything else to eat.

Leon and Sora sat close. They talked for a little, asking about each other's day and any future plans. Once the meal was finished, Sora stood up. She had asked Leon if he wanted some dessert when the imp smiled and said that he did.

He stood up and instead of going to the door, he went for her. Before she knew it, he crowded her over to the bed, the back of her legs bumped into the edge of the bed which caused her to fall onto the mattress.

Ever the hunter, he waited for the right moment and then pounced.

Apparently, she was the dessert. She had realized this as he kissed her a bit sloppily and made his way to her neck where he proceeded to nip and suck until she couldn't hold in the little sounds she desperately tried to prevent from escaping.

Not to say that she didn't get her chance to do the same to him.

After a while, he rolled off of her, bringing her with him. A bit disoriented, she found herself above him and looking down at his face.

He quirked a brow at her. The action brought her into motion.

At the time, she enjoyed their shows of affection.

However, when she woke up that morning and saw the marks on her neck via the mirror, she was fuming. Sora knew that such activities would leave marks; that was not what had her upset. What did upset her was the rather large mark that was around the area where her under jaw started.

Even with her high collared uniform on, the mark could be easily seen. She had to keep her chin down at a certain level; if she lifted it up too high, the mark would show.

'At least Leon's going to have to adjust his wardrobe to cover up the marks I made on him.' That thought gave her a sense of pride and feminine smugness.

Though, those didn't aid her in her own predicament with Pietro. 'I must have had my chin tilted up higher than I thought.'

A small pout appeared on her lips. 'That reckless nymph! He should have known better than to leave a mark so high up! I made sure not to make any beyond a high collar.' The thought made her think about his action. 'He's usually more careful, I wonder if he wanted it to be visible…'

Pietro laughed as Sora's face reddened. "Your secret's safe with me," he mischievously whispered to her with a wink.

The appearance of the servant saved her from having to respond to that.

"If you would follow me, Miss Sora, I will take you to your destination."

Sora bid her friend a good morning and then followed the servant.

TM

Leon had been awake for some time.

He strode through the family garden. The section that once held the lush roses was now filled with weeds and wildflowers. He leaned against an old fruit tree for a bit. His eyes closed as he listened to the birds twitter in the crisp, morning air.

Strangely enough, he was quite calm.

He did feel a little bit of nostalgia over the state of the once magnificent garden. However, it wasn't an overriding feeling. He was able to acknowledge it and then let it settle back down.

'Curious.'

It wasn't like he didn't have things to worry about—there was plenty to be stressed out about. He felt a leaf fall onto his head. He picked it out of his hair and looked at it. His forefinger and thumb rolled the stem of the leaf.

Neitol called out to him from the back door.

Leon dropped the leaf and came inside. He walked into the dining room where his breakfast was set out at the head of the table.

Neitol uncovered the dishes as Leon sat down onto the chair. Before Neitol left, he cleared his throat to get Leon's attention.

"Pardon the inquiry, but do you wish for me to lay out a tunic for you to change into?"

Leon regarded him closely. "I _am_ dressed for the day."

Neitol shifted in place. "Yes sir, I thought you were. However," the faintest of grins appeared on his face, "a low collar tunic may not be the wisest of attires to wear if you plan on going out today."

Neitol's words slowly registered. Leon let out a soft snort. "A new tunic would be appreciated. Thank you for bringing that to my attention, Neitol."

The man let out a few chuckles and then took his leave. Neitol threw over his shoulder, "I'll be sure to set out a tunic with a high collar. The lady seems to have been a bit enthusiastic in her endeavor."

Leon was thankful that Neitol was out of the room. He was sure that his face betrayed his slight embarrassment.

He took a bite out of his omelet. 'Vixen.'

Though, he was mollified by the knowledge that Sora would be waking up to his marks as well.

He allowed himself to think about that night.

_Flashback_

They had just finished dinner and he was partaking in his "dessert."

When Sora mentioned that she would be seeing Ken the next day to look at the fairy tale, he found that he wanted to somehow show the male fairy that she was already involved with someone. It was a little aggravating that the male persisted in trying to woo Sora when she was not interested.

While he nipped her neck, a wicked idea came to him.

He found a spot that would be difficult to completely hide but would still allow her to cover most of the mark. Leon eagerly worked the spot for a bit, sucking her soft skin so that a good sized mark would appear.

Sora seemed to have not notice his plan, rather, she took pleasure out of the attention. Her hands fisted his tunic and her exhales of breath and sound goaded him on.

He wouldn't be surprised if the mark came out bigger than he had intended.

That's when he decided to let her have her turn. Though initially dazed, she soon snapped out of it. Her personality being sweet, she started her affections with soft kisses on his lips and trailed down his neck.

His hands had been around her face until she reached his neck. It wasn't until his hands drifted to touch her sides and back that she began nipping at him.

When he had to go, he looked at her one last time to bid her a good night. That moment was when he noticed that sometime during their heated interaction his hands undid her intricate hair style. Half of her braids were still in one piece while the others were completely unraveled. Very few white flowers were still in her hair and the ones that stayed stuck out in weird angles—it seemed like she had fallen into a bush and the twigs found themselves in her hair. Her amber ribbon clung onto one braid and lay on her shoulder.

Leon chuckled and leaned forward to tuck some hair behind her ear.

"I apologize for ruining your hair."

She smiled brightly. "It's alright. It was done for you and you saw it."

He picked a flower from her hair. "Be sure to tell Sarine that I greatly admired it on you."

She nodded with a blush.

She looked at him as she bit her bottom lip. He wondered what she was thinking about when she suddenly got on her tiptoes to kiss him on the lips.

"I'm glad you came," she murmured and then gave him another kiss. He responded back for a few seconds before his hands came up to her face to break the kiss.

"As much as I enjoy kissing you, I need to go back."

She had that considering look again.

She stated with no ceremony, "I was the one who wanted the flowers in my hair, not Sarine."

Leon felt like that carried a significant meaning, but for the life of him he didn't know what it meant. "They were a beautiful choice," he decided to say.

Her eyes looked at him for a bit before she blinked out of her train of thought. She let out a much smaller smile. "Thanks."

He felt like he had just failed to acknowledge the correct thing. She attempted to move back but his hands stayed around her face. "Did I say the wrong thing?"

"Oh, no. You didn't do anything wrong."

His eyes narrowed on her. "But I didn't say the right thing."

Sora let out a little laugh. "It's fine; you're fine!"

Her hands wrapped around his wrists to pull his hands away. "It's just a silly little fairy custom, don't worry about it."

She laid a kiss onto one of his palms. "I didn't mean to put you on the spot like that."

His eyes stayed on her.

"I do not know the intricacies of the fairy culture." His hand threaded with hers. "I would ask that, if possible, you delay doing this custom until I learn what it is."

He tugged their joined hands forward so that he could hold her in a loose embrace. When she was close to him, he rested his forehead onto hers.

"I do not wish to offend you or hurt your feelings because of my ignorance." His free hand came up to cup her cheek. The lamplight allowed him to see the faint glimmering in her eyes. "I'm afraid I might have already done that, but I do not wish to do it again."

She blinked away the slight moisture that had gathered in her eyes as if she hadn't even noticed its presence until now.

"Ok," she responded with the smallest of quivers in her voice.

She closed her eyes as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

_End Flashback_

Leon finished his breakfast with some tea.

He still wasn't sure what the flowers meant in the fairy custom. 'Is it the type of flower, the color, the position they were placed in, or is it simply just the presence of flowers?'

He placed the cup down with a sigh. 'I suppose I could see if Sarine knows.' He didn't have to visit the courts—nor did he feel inclined to voluntarily visit them. Sora will be occupied, so he would not be seeing her today.

Visiting Sarine sounded like a good idea.

'Maybe she can impart some advice even if it doesn't deal with fairy customs.'

He piled the dishes onto the tray for Neitol to take care of.

TM

Sora found herself in the sitting area of Ken's guest quarters.

Her instincts were screaming at her. 'I shouldn't be in his room.'

The servant had seen her into the room after Ken told them to enter. After that, the servant bowed and left her alone. She had expected to see Ken sitting down, however, he was nowhere in sight. 'He must be fixing his appearance or something.'

Her hands nervously fiddled with her sleeves. Honey eyes darted about the place for any flowers, magical or physical, present. She slightly relaxed when she happily noted the lack of flowers in the sitting room.

But she was still nervous.

Unable to stay still, she got up from her chair to look around. The tapestry near the door was of a forest. She stared at it for a while until she quickly lost interest. It just made her miss being outdoors.

Her eyes spotted a desk and a chair. The desk top was cluttered with parchments and books while an under-tunic hung from the back of the chair.

Curious, she walked over to see what he was researching.

The parchments had some untidy writing—no doubt notes written by Ken's hand. The closest book's title was covered, so she pushed the notes aside to take a look.

'It's a family tree…' She noticed that he had marked his page and flipped it open. She skimmed through the page. 'Blood lines, titles, marriages, and children—'

She halted at the name "Thendrel." 'Why does that sound familiar…' Her eyes widened in recollection. 'That's Leon's father!'

"Why is Ken looking up the Oswald genealogy?" she muttered to herself.

A clatter from the other room startled her. She let go of the book's pages as if it seared her. In her haste to back away from the desk, she bumped into the chair.

It fell over with a loud thud.

"Sora? Are you alright?" Ken's voice sounded over into the sitting room.

Sora quickly answered, "Ah, yes! I just bumped into something; you know how klutzy I can be!" She threw in a short laugh to lighten the situation.

"Oh. Well, I'll be out shortly."

She gave a short answer back, quietly lifting the chair back up. The under-tunic that was on the back of the chair lay on the floor. She picked it up with two fingers, not wanting to touch it any more than she had to. When the tunic was up, she noticed an outline of something in the inner pocket.

Her mind flashed back to three days ago when Ken had lifted his hand up in the direction of his pocket only to not so smoothly move the hand to his hair.

The outline was rectangular and a little puffed out like it was folded. Her lips parted in realization. 'Could it be a letter; the very letter that I thought Yuri had regarding Leon?'

Forgetting her earlier hesitance, she gripped the tunic with both hands. Frantically, she pulled out the object that was in the pocket.

It was a letter.

She unfolded it, seeing that it was addressed to Yuri. Her eyes darted to the bottom to see Leon's signature.

Before she could think about reading it, she heard movement in the other room.

Quickly, she reached over to the desk to grab an unmarked parchment. Her hand shakily undid the ties of her bag to reach for her wand. She laid the two parchments side by side and with her wand she tapped the original letter.

"Replicum," she whispered and then then tapped the empty parchment.

Glowing yellow letters seeped onto the blank sheet, her eyes narrowed as she concentrated on keeping her magic cloaked. She heard footsteps coming near the door that separated the bedroom from the sitting room.

She willed her magic to go faster.

As soon as the last word appeared, she folded the original back into the tunic and threw it over the back of the chair. The copied letter glowed for a bit before it stopped and black ink covered the page instead of magic.

She hastily ran over to the tapestry to look at the forest scene.

The door opened as she shoved her wand and the parchment into her bag.

"I apologize for keeping you waiting." Her back was to him so she only heard his boots as he stepped closer to her. She attempted to calm her nerves. "I had a rather long night."

"T-That's alright. The tapestry kept me entertained." She looked at him from over her shoulder. He was leaning against the desk. She hoped he didn't notice anything too out of place.

Ken looked at her attire. "You're back in your uniform."

She shrugged. "It was a little chilly this morning. This is a lot warmer than the other dresses."

"You looked nicer in the other dresses."

Silence followed.

Sora realized that she should probably start. She took a breath and then turned around to face him.

"Ken, I'm—"

"Sora, I ne—"

Both paused in order to let the other speak.

Ken shook his head. "You can go, but first…" He gestured towards the sofa. She made her way over to it. When Ken sat on it, she discretely scooted away. While she was here to both to apologize and find out information, she still didn't want him to get the wrong impression.

'Though, being in his room certainly says the wrong thing.' She mentally groaned. 'Why couldn't he meet me in the courtyard?'

She brought her mind back to focus. "Ken, I feel that I was short with you three days ago and I wanted to apologize." Her thumbs twiddled around each other. "While I do feel like some of the things you said were uncalled for," here she pointedly looked at him, "but looking back, I can see that you meant well."

She gave a wiry grin. "Even though you could have worded a few things a lot better."

A hand came up to rub the back of his neck. "Yeah, I realized that afterwards." His tired, blue eyes turned towards her. "I'm sorry for the way I spoke to you."

Sora opened her mouth to add in something when Ken cut her off. "I still stand by my assessment of Nobleman Leon. But the way I talked about your personality was definitely uncalled for."

He knew by her pursed lips that she was not happy with that statement, however, it was a point he would not budge on no matter how tired he was.

He pushed on to what he wanted to say.

"Let's just leave the subject alone for now. We have some other things to discuss." Ken angled his body towards her. "Prince Yuri has asked that I look into Princess Layla's curse. I know you already told your mentor what you know, but when we first met each other in these courts, you said that you might have found a cure."

Sora bit her lip. 'I need to watch what I say.'

"Yes," she started, "my ideas came from when I first felt Layla's curse…"

TM

Leon slowly made his way to the inn.

He took alleyways and back streets in case someone was following him. He didn't dare go onto the rooftops in broad daylight. Plus, it would tip his hand and let any followers know that he can easily climb up buildings and such. He won't be able to do emergency escapes if they did know.

He entered through the backdoor where the kitchen was.

Sure enough, Sarine was there, doing some preparations for lunch. "Leon, how good of you to come!"

She angled her head in an attempt to look around him. "Did you bring Sora with you? She had very little to eat this morning."

"I have not seen her today," he replied. "She has fairy aide business to attend to."

"I hope she remembers to eat something." Sarine tsked. "But enough about that, what brings you here? I cannot think of a time when you simply come for a social visit."

"You are correct." Leon pulled out a stool. "I come for advice."

"What sort of advice? Certainly not courting advice!" She laughed at the idea. However, when she saw Leon look away in a sort of bashful manner she abruptly stopped laughing.

"Oh. That _is_ it."

Leon nearly rolled his eyes at the surprise in her voice. "Is it truly that shocking?"

"It is a little hard to believe." She let out a grin. "You're quite the looker, you know. If any of my girls were still unmarried, I can guarantee you that they would have been following you around like ducklings."

'Good thing they're married,' he mentally added.

He turned to look at her. "The advice I seek has to deal more with fairy customs."

Sarine lifted an eyebrow. "I'm part pixie, dear. There is a difference."

He agitatedly ran a hand through his hair. "I am aware of that, but I had thought that maybe you were familiar with their customs—especially when it comes to their type of wooing rituals."

She sighed, but pulled up a stool as well.

"What happened?"

Leon was silently deciding where to begin. "Do you recall the flowers you put in Sora's hair?"

"Little white ones, right?" Sarine tilted her head. "What about them?"

"Is there a meaning behind those particular flowers?"

Sarine hmmed. "Not that I can think of. Why? Did she say they do?"

"She simply stated that it was her idea to put the flowers in her hair." His fingers tapped the counter. "It seemed like she was waiting for me to say or do something after that statement. However, all I could think of was to complement her on the choice."

"Not a bad guess," Sarine offhandedly said. Her eyes narrowed as she thought. "What happened before the flowers issue?"

"I was about to leave."

"And…" she prompted.

Leon sighed. "She said she was glad I came."

An impish grin appeared on her face. "Did you kiss?"

Leon's face deadpanned. "I thought I was speaking to an adult, not a youth stuck in fantasies."

"Do you follow a 'I don't kiss and tell' code, Leon?" Her grin was far too wide. "I only asked in order to gauge the mood. I thought you would be mature enough to say so or not."

This time he did roll his eyes at her.

She took it as a sign that they did.

He pointedly ignored the knowing gleam in her eyes. "Do you know what the flowers mean?"

Sarine tapped her chin. "I'm not positive, but I know that fairies in the forest decorate their living areas with flora and fauna—they preferably like to live in a lush area. So, perhaps, by putting flowers in her hair, she was trying to be welcoming."

"She was greeting me into her living area, that's what you mean?"

"Yes, sort of like, 'here is my home and I welcome you into it.' That, plus the way she continued to talk with you when you told her that you had to leave makes me think that she wanted you to stay."

Leon let those thoughts sink. 'If she was welcoming me and I only gave her a complement on the choice of flowers instead of acknowledging the welcome…I can see how that would upset her.'

"Why white flowers?" he murmured.

"Well, in the kingdom cultures around here, white usually stands for purity or innocence. But if it means the same thing with the fairies…" Sarine shrugged. "I do not know."

Leon gave a final tap to the counter. "My thanks for the aid, Sarine."

As he moved to stand, Sarine spoke up, "You should stay for lunch, Leon. It's been a while since you have visited me."

Before he spoke, she added, "And last night doesn't count. You were with Sora."

She watched as he pondered the idea for a bit.

He gave a short nod.

Sarine gave a crooked smiled.

TM

The two fairy aides sat on separate plush chairs in the castle library.

Instead of sitting next to Ken, Sora sat in the chair over, leaving a seat in between them.

The air was tense between them—caused by the earlier happenings.

_Flashback_

Back in his rooms, Sora told him about her findings and ideas about Layla's curse. Ken praised her guesswork. She shifted in her spot for a bit, but then pressed on to ask him about the kissing cure that occurred in certain fairy tales.

The topic had him stuttering a bit. He was aware that she was asking from an academic stance, however, he couldn't stop himself from getting excited.

Was the introduction of the topic a sign of her change in interest?

After bumbling through a sentence discussing the idea behind the Kiss Cure, he went through a roundabout way to tell her that he didn't think the same person could give two Kiss Cures to two different people.

"It would defeat the purpose of the idea of true love's kiss," he said.

Sora picked at her sleeve before muttering, "But what if the person likes two people at the same time?"

Her question had his insides churning.

Perhaps it was a result of his desire to have her affections or simply a result of his fatigued mind. Regardless, his mind registered her question as if she was referring to herself.

'Is that why she didn't accept my invitation back at the Hamilton Castle? Is she interested in two people at the same time?'

If that was the case, did her inquiry mean that she might be leaning towards him; was she gauging his reaction right now?

He scooted closer to her.

"Even if that is the case, the person must feel a certain partiality to one of the two. A person cannot romantically care about two people in equal amounts."

Sora scooted away as he spoke. "I suppose that's true, but I think I'll need to look it up."

Ken's head tilted at her actions. 'I didn't take her as a fairy that wanted to be chased.'

He felt even more excited at the prospect.

"There comes a time when research on a topic cannot aid you anymore." When Sora reached the end of the couch, he reached over for her hand.

"Only feelings can."

Sora's jaw dropped.

"K-Ken, what are you—" She sharply inhaled as he started to lean over her.

Her hand on his chest abruptly halted his actions. When she felt his hand touching her face, her mind was a buzz of panic.

She shoved him onto the other side of the couch. He landed with an "Oomph!"

"What's going on?!" she shrieked.

Ken pushed himself up. "What do you mean 'What's going on?' I should be saying that!"

Flabbergasted, Sora replied, "I'm not the one making unwanted moves! I thought I was clear when I said I don't have a romantic interest in you!"

Ken frowned. "But you were talking about romantic things right now."

Sora gaped at him.

"I was talking about the curse!" Frustrated, she grabbed her head and looked at the ceiling. "There wasn't a hidden meaning in my words!"

She was not looking at him; if she had been, she would have seen the widening of his eyes.

Shocked blue eyes stared at the mark along her under jaw and slender neck.

He opened his mouth once to speak, but no sound came out. Twice, and something squeaky sounded out. Unable to voice his thought, he instead stuttered in his mind, 'I-Is that a hickey?!'

Finally, words came out of his mouth. "S-Sora…what's that along your neck?"

She "eeped" in realization.

Her hand came down to cover it. "Oh! Um! I-I, um, fell out of bed and, er, my neck hit the side table corner." The end of the sentence sounded more like a question.

"You fell," he asked incredulously, "and hit your neck?"

"Yes."

Ken snapped his mouth closed.

After a few moments of silence, he spoke, "Sora, I'm not stupid."

She gave a little huff. "Then why did you ask if you know what it is?"

He didn't respond to that.

Instead, he asked, "So, you didn't change your mind?"

"No." Her eyes looked sympathetic.

He nodded his head absently.

"Did you just meet him here?"

"…No."

He ran his hands over his face. Then, he stood up. "You said something about looking the cure up, right?"

At her small nod, he ventured, "Does that mean you want to look in the library here?"

"Yes, please," she said in a quiet voice.

Ken walked over to the front door.

Before he opened it, he turned to look at her. "Did you only come to get access to the library?"

She looked at him. "No. I wanted to apologize for the outburst the last time we spoke."

Her hand tightened around her bag strap. "We were once good friends; I didn't want to severe our friendship."

He gave her a bitter smile. "I never saw us as friends, Sora."

With that, he opened the door.

_End Flashback_

Ken had unraveled a scroll and read over it. Every once in a while he'd scribble something down with his quill.

Sora found a fairy tale book with Snow White's tale in it. When she reached the ending, she recalled the alternative ending she heard about in fairy training.

But she couldn't find it in herself to be excited about it.

She wrote it down with her own parchment and quill, faintly registering the words she was scratching out.

The two aides parted after she finished writing.

TM

TM

TM

AN: I apologize if there were any horrendous errors. I'll look over it again when I have more time.


	29. Chapter 29

TM

TM

TM

Long after Sora left, Ken stayed and read on.

The scroll that he had received that morning was the information he request from Mizu about Leon.

However, as he read on, he wasn't sure if the Head Fairy understood what he wanted. His eyes took in a listing that was titled, "Those Interested in Nobleman Leon."

There was a rather long list of noblewomen that apparently had talked at some point or another about the silver haired nobleman. It was rather intricate in that the dates and locations of when each lady had brought up an interest in the man occurred.

'This is not what I meant when I asked about court information. This is just gossip!'

Though, after the list, there was a note of sorts that stated that the newly introduced Family Heads approached Leon with their daughters. A few days at court and those that approached Leon stopped.

'So, that means the Heads that have been around longer know not to approach Leon about issues of courting or marriages.' Ken scribbled that information down along with other ideas as to why that occurred.

Along with the Oswald family tree book, he also checked out the procedures and rules of the courts. 'Although some rules may change over time, there are some that stay consistent. I'll have to look over those and see if any match with the, er, information I received.'

Ken tapped a finger to his chin. "I have noticed that issues of inheritance are left to the Heads of Families rather than the King's courts. The King must have felt it unnecessary to be bothered about intra-family issues."

From what he read, the Oswald family, more often than not, preferred to have heirs without any magical abilities. 'Before coming here, I had heard that the courts here don't look too fondly upon those with magic in their bloodlines. Something about keeping the lines pure or such.'

He idly twirled his quill. 'In multiple families, those who showed signs of magic are stripped of their inheritances. Some are more lenient, but the other families see them as lower nobles.'

It was quite strange to him. 'You would think they would be seen as higher since they have magic…Perhaps because of the positions of fairy aides, they might be seen as a type of servant.'

He wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. He can't count the number of times nobles have addressed him as a servant.

'From what I've seen, Mizu and the other aides here seem to be doing ok. Maybe the Head Fairy shifted that way of thinking here.'

The clock on the wall caught his attention.

He rolled the scroll up and packed it into his bag along with a book and his notes.

'Don't want to be late with my meeting with the Head Fairy.'

TM

After visiting the library, Sora went to the inn.

She had a small dinner with Sarine even though the afternoon happenings didn't give her that much of an appetite. Regardless, she knew she should eat something for her strength.

As they ate, Sarine told her that Leon stopped by but when Sora didn't really respond to that, the chef was slightly concern.

"Did your beau do something last night?"

Sora blinked out of her thoughts. "B-Beau?"

Sarine gave a crooked grinned. "Your admirer, suitor, lover…whatever you youngsters call it these days."

Sora's eyes were wide.

The older woman laughed. "Don't look so shocked, my dear. We magical creatures don't have as strict and confining relationships as the humans here uphold." Her grin grew. "Or at least, try to uphold."

"I was a pretty lass myself when I was younger, I'll have you know. I had a few beaus before I found the love of my life. The others weren't serious relationships, mind you. There were just some fleeting touches here and a kiss there."

"With my Jerobi, just holding hands had my heart all aflutter." Her eyes gleamed with mischief. "Though, holding hands was not the only thing we did."

Sora's face flamed.

Sarine chuckled for a bit before she settled down. "Teasing aside, you do need to keep the human codes and sensibilities in mind. Jerobi was familiar with some pixie rituals. Leon, as far as I know, isn't very knowledgeable about fairies."

The chef reached a hand over to gently pat Sora's. "I tell you this in order to prevent any hurt feelings on either side. I do understand that certain things might just happen—be it as a result of your instincts or just your understanding of wooing within the fairy culture. Just be sure that you both work on understanding what the other's doing and be aware of the other's feelings."

Sora had a thoughtful expression.

"Leon told you what I did," she quietly stated.

Sarine gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "He didn't know where else to go, dearie. Though, from my experience, the men can use all the help they can get when it comes to courting."

The chef let out an exaggerated sigh. "My poor daughters, so many mixed signals and misunderstandings. I had to drag a few of the lads over to Jerobi to straighten them out."

Sarine took a sip of her drink.

"To be fair, Jerobi sometimes had to bring our daughters over to me to give a talking to as well." Sarine gave a wistful smile. "My darlings inherited some of my pixie mischief, I'm afraid."

Sora let out a little giggle.

"Well, we did acknowledge the fact that we're courting." Sora gave a half smile. "Unfortunately, I was unaware that Leon had to be the one to ask. Thankfully, he didn't take any offence to that."

"An assertive gal, Leon must like that." Sarine gave Sora a wink. "He doesn't strike me as the type to feel a loss of masculinity because of something like that."

"I agree," Sora murmured.

'I'd say he's quite assured in his masculinity.' Her hand drifted to her neck.

"But Leon's not the reason I'm upset." Sora paused, and then added in, "Well, at least not directly."

She had Sarine's attention.

"I lost a friend," Sora said quietly.

Sarine poured her a cup. "I have time, dear. Go ahead and tell me."

Sora took the cup with a sad smile.

TM

Mizu looked over the message she received.

She languidly lounged on a plush recliner. Her hand reached over to pluck a couple of grapes from the bowl on the table. 'Silver stag…what are you up to?'

A knock on the door disrupted her thoughts.

"Come in," she called out.

Ken walked into her sitting room. She gestured to the chair across from her as her eyes stayed on the message. "Feel free to eat or drink something as I finish this report," Mizu said.

Ken's eyes ran over the small feast on the table. 'She even has a whole duck!'

He reached over for a leg and munched on it as she read. With a sigh, she placed the scroll down. "So, it has been a few days since our last meeting. Have you learned of anything?"

Ken swallowed the meat in his mouth. "I've been familiarizing myself with the way the courts and Head Families work. Other than that, I've only caught Nobleman Leon receiving a note at court—which you have informed me that you saw as well—and he was in the public maze the day after getting the note."

Mizu hummed. "My informant has spotted the noble wandering around the castle gardens and heading into town a few times. However, there was nothing amiss with these wanderings."

Ken debated on whether to add in something or not for a few moments. Meanwhile, Mizu grabbed a goblet with some sort of gold-orange drink. Ken squinted his eyes as he watched the drink go down her mouth.

Mizu caught his gaze. "It's a mixture of mainly nectar and apricot. Please, try some."

Ken blinked at the goblet close to him. Curious, he took a drink.

It was a strong, thick drink; its flavor played along his taste buds. As he swallowed the concoction, he felt his body relax and he felt a little lightheaded.

Mizu watched as he slowly put the cup down. "Was there anything else you wanted to say?"

Ken blinked as he looked at her.

"Y-Yes. That is…that time in the maze, when I followed him there, I had actually seen him in the market." He took another bite of his duck leg.

"Did he do something strange in the market?" Mizu's index finger traced the rim of the goblet.

A faint ringing sounded into the air.

Ken paused in his eating to listen to it. "He didn't do something per se…however; one of the shopkeepers had seen Nobleman Leon and said that there was a lady he was interacting with."

Mizu's finger stopped; the ringing halted abruptly.

"A lady?" Mizu questioned aloud. Her red lips quirked up. "I suppose noblemen are allowed their interests, in and out of the courts."

The ringing continued.

Ken spoke up, "I was thinking that maybe this lady is the one who wrote him the note. Also, I have reason to believe that she was in the maze with him."

Mizu raised a dark eyebrow. "Do you wish to pursue the identity of the lady?"

With Ken's nod, she continued with a sigh, "Well, if you feel that we should, I could get my informant to keep an eye out for this lady when he follows the noble. Do you know what she looks like?"

Sheepish, Ken shrugged. "I, uh, forgot to ask the shopkeeper what she looked like. I could go back and ask and then send you the description."

"Please do," she softly, yet sternly, murmured.

TM

That night, Sora sat up in her bed.

After saying good night to Sarine, she washed up and changed into her nightclothes. Her hair was in a loose braid as she wrote down a message for Leon. When she finished, she placed it onto the side table.

She was about to call it a night when the folded message on the side table gave her pause.

With a start, she realized she had yet to read the copied letter from Ken's room.

Suddenly wide awake, she kicked the blanket off of her legs. Her bare feet padded across the floorboards to grab the letter from her bag on the dresser.

Letter in hand, she jumped onto the bed to read it by the oil lamp.

What was written left her unsettled.

'Leon wrote this?' Her brows furrowed. 'Certainly, he would be upset about Yuri not coming to help Sophie, but this…Leon's calling out for blood.'

"I didn't think he would write something so callous, so bloodthirsty, so…vicious. If he acted in the same manner that he wrote, I can't blame Yuri for kicking Leon out of his courts."

She checked the name at the bottom just to make sure it was his writing. Sure enough, it was his signature at the bottom of the letter.

Sora folded it back up as she decided what to do.

She leaned over to the table and switched letters. Getting her quill and ink out, Sora scratched a line after her signature.

_I need to talk to you. Meet me by the maze at noon._

Finished with the added portion she placed the materials back onto the table. 'I'll see if Sarine can send someone to give this to him in the morning.'

She turned the oil lamp knob off.

Her sleep was full of terrors as she envisioned Leon ripping Yuri's heart out and feasting on it. Blood dripped everywhere and stained his face, clothing, and silver locks. Yuri lay lifeless on the ground; blood flowed out of the open chest wound.

She gripped her pillow in her sleep, unable to shake the image away.

TM

The next morning a scroll was next to Leon's breakfast.

Neitol left earlier to check on his family. It had been quite a while since he was able to see them. Leon had insisted that Neitol go home and spend the whole day with them. After all, Leon's presence in the manor is what kept Neitol away from them.

Before he left, he made a quick breakfast for Leon.

'That man is loyal to a fault,' Leon wirily noted.

He uncovered the dish to reveal some eggs and sausages. His customary tea was set out as well. Leon poured himself a cup before he undid the scroll.

His eyes recognized the writing. He let out a small smile.

With one hand he held the letter while he ate his meal. 'It seems she recalls the alternate ending.'

When he fell upon the information, he paused in mid-sip.

"Detoxification?"

He let the idea roll around in his mind. 'If the curse is like a poison, I suppose we could try to somehow "drain" the curse from Sophie.'

"Perhaps there is a spell for such a thing." He felt the beginnings of excitement at the news, but he stubbornly pushed it down. 'I do not dare to rejoice until we know for sure. I have to ask her about the details of this cure the next time I visit her.'

He frowned at the somewhat abrupt message after her name. "At noon?"

His eyes looked up at the clock. He had enough time. 'Good thing I'm an early riser.'

Leon picked up the dishes and went to go wash them.

TM

The street market was packed with people.

Ken squeezed his way over to where he thought the pastry stand was. 'Usually, vendors keep the same spot that way people can find them again.' Some just had their booths in front of their shops. Having some items out in the open drew people into the actual shop.

The pastry stand was in front of the shop.

The carrot top looked at the goods for today. 'Those pumpkin walnut muffins smell great.' Ken greeted the person running the booth.

"I'll take some of those muffins."

As the apprentice grabbed the muffins, Ken asked, "Is your master in the shop? I would like to speak to him."

"Ah, he was asked to cater a midday tea event at a merchant's house. He went to make sure that the goods are set up properly and fix any iced treats that were smudged on the way over. After that, he usually collects the money and then comes back."

Ken rubbed the back of his neck. 'The bells haven't sounded the new hour, so it's still within the 11th hour of the morning.'

"How long do you think your master will take?"

The apprentice shrugged. "At least fifteen minutes after the noon hour and thirty minutes at the latest."

Ken inwardly sighed. He paid for his muffins. "Alright then, I shall return later."

The apprentice bid him a good day.

Ken took out a muffin and began to eat it as he browsed the other shops.

TM

A petite figure in maroon walked through the grass.

The public gardens had a few picnics here and there. Sora was glad that they were mainly over by the magnolia trees.

She found the maze and stood by the entrance as her fingers twirled the end of her braid.

Sarine did a French braid and added the amber ribbon without asking her about it. To be truthful, Sora wasn't sure if she would have allowed Sarine to put it in if she had asked.

A part of her felt terrible for even thinking about foregoing the ribbon, yet the other part—the one that was anxious and afraid—didn't think she should have.

'It was those blasted nightmares,' she thought with frustration. 'I've been on edge ever since waking up.'

She woke up later than usual and the bloody nightmares lingered with her for quite some time. She stayed in bed and continued to grip the pillow for a while until the shakiness of the dreams faded somewhat.

When she moved to make the bed, she saw that she had ripped a piece of the seam of the pillow. Some goose feathers lay on the mattress and the floor.

Her wand was able to fix that.

Then, when she went down to the kitchen to get something to eat, she saw Sarine holding a strawberry to her mouth. "Oh Sora, take a look at what that wonderful husband of mine got me!"

Sarine pointed to the small wooden box of strawberries and then took a bite out of the red fruit. The juice dripped down her fingers and hand in a morbid way.

Sora quickly lost her appetite.

She was only thankful that Sarine was too busy eating the fruit to have noticed her dismayed expression.

'Of all the fruits for Jerobi to have given Sarine, it had to be a red one.'

The universe was laughing at her, she was sure of it.

Her hand brought the end of her braid up. She looked at the ribbon in a sort of fascinated way.

Her mind replayed the short, last nightmare she had.

This time, instead of it being Yuri and Leon, it was her with Leon. His hand caressed her cheek and drifted to her ribbon. An evil grin appeared on his face as he tugged the ribbon from her hair and began to strangle her with it. She could feel herself choking and slowly fading out of consciousness.

The last thing she recalled seeing was his grey eyes taking such perverse pleasure out of her suffering.

She woke up with gasping breaths.

The hand holding the braid shook with the recollection.

Sora threw the braid over her shoulder. 'Stupid nightmares.'

TM

Leon leisurely walked over to the maze.

He wondered what it was that she wanted to talk to him about. The curses, of course, were almost always a topic they needed to talk about. However, he got the feeling that her urgency was not about her desire to talk to him about the detoxification method for Sophie.

'Did something happen with Ken?'

His eyes narrowed at the thought. 'If he did something, there will be hell to pay.'

He was tired of dealing with Prince Yuri anyways. Adding another person to his list of 'People to Despise' wouldn't be a problem.

He hastened his steps.

He spotted her red hair by the entrance. When he was close enough for her to see him, she made her way into the maze. He slowed down his steps.

He did once last glance around the area before entering through the other entrance. Leon soon found her standing by the converge point. Her head moved back and forth, no doubt trying to see the opening to the secret place.

He chuckled at her predicament.

She started at the sound. Sora whipped around, her braid swinging with the action.

"Y-You startled me!" Her hand was over her heart. He raised a brow at the action.

"I do apologize, that was not my intent." He came up to place a hand along her back. He felt her flinch before she settled back against his hand.

'How strange.'

"The key is to not use your sight," he murmured into her ear. "You just need to step forward without worrying about walking into the bush."

He saw her turn towards him. Her bottom lip was between her teeth in a nervous manner.

He tilted his head at her fear. "You need not worry about the bushes. There is no trap."

Her eyes regarded him.

After a couple of seconds, she released her lip. "It's kind of like having a little blind faith," she quietly stated.

"Yes," he said, though he was confused at her words.

The words seemed to have relaxed her enough for her to step forward.

When he did not immediately follow, she turned around and grabbed his hand.

They walked into the secret area together.

TM

Sora looked around the area.

"The wisterias are falling," she noted with a bit of a sad tone.

Leon's hand was still on her back. "Fall's coming. It was bound to happen."

She let him lead her to the bench. When they sat, his arm came around her. She was glad she didn't flinch this time.

When he was talking about the secret entrance, she realized how ridiculous she was being. She saw that her actions were confusing him. 'It's like Sarine said. I need to be aware of his feelings as he was when he didn't say anything about my strange behavior.'

She leaned into his half embrace. 'Those stupid nightmares weren't real.'

'That scary, morbid Leon isn't real.' Her arms wrapped around his torso. 'This one is real.' Her nose took in his scent of pine, earth, and that tangy spice she hasn't figured out yet.

She didn't see Leon quirk a brow at her actions.

Though, she did feel him tilt her chin up. "Sora, is there something you want to tell me?"

She took in the concern swirling in his grey eyes. 'These eyes are definitely real.'

She let out a little smile. "I do, but first there's something I need to do."

Sora shifted onto his lap. Her hands rested along his shoulder blades. She looked up at him with a straight face and asked, "Could you caress my cheek?"

Both of his eyebrows shot up.

Seconds went by and she continued to stare at him expectantly. His hand came up to touch her cheek.

"You're a strange fairy," he muttered as his fingers stroked her face.

"Yet, you still stay with me."

His lips quirked as she used the same words he said to her from a time that felt so long ago.

"How true," he said with some amusement.

She moved her head to kiss his palm. "Would that make you the strangest of the both of us since you're voluntarily staying with a strange fairy?" she joked.

"There are worse things to be," he said with a tilt of his chin.

His words reminded her of the letter. "Yes," she stated.

Leon noticed the shift in mood.

"Leon, I need to share something with you that I found." Her arms unwound from around him. She got out of his lap in order to give him some room. Her hands opened her bag and fished out the letter.

She handed it to him.

Leon grabbed it and unfolded it.

Surprise came across his face. He gave Sora a glance and then went back to the letter. His brows furrowed as he went on.

She waited patiently for him to finish.

He mumbled something ever so faintly. Sora didn't hear it and asked him to repeat it.

"This," he agitatedly gestured to the parchment, "isn't my letter."

TM

His eyes narrowed on the words before him.

He looked up at Sora to see something like relief flash through her eyes. 'She must have read it.' Suddenly, her earlier flinching and nervousness made sense to him. 'Did you fear me after reading this?'

He couldn't blame her for her actions. In all honesty, he'd be wary of the being that wrote this as well.

She scooted closer to him.

Her hand lay on his forearm. "What do you mean that this isn't your letter? It's your handwriting and signature."

He nodded as he viewed the message. "Although certain parts are mine, the bulk of this letter is not."

His fingers ran over a line that questioned Yuri's honor and integrity. "This is mine…"

Sora peered at it.

His fingers halted at the next line regarding the slow mutilation of Yuri's fingers and limbs. "This is not mine."

Sora gripped his arm when she saw the line. Her grip relaxed once she looked away from it.

"I'm glad it's not," she mumbled.

Leon reached a hand to touch her face.

"Is that why you wanted me to caress you?" He watched as her eyes closed. "Were you looking for some comfort or some sort of a sign that I didn't write this?"

"Yes," she whispered.

He felt her press her cheek into his hand. "I do feel great anger at times, however, I wouldn't go as far as the obscene scenarios this letter has."

He paused for a moment before he asked his thought.

"If I had written this, would you have ended our courtship?"

Her eyes opened to look at him. "I…I would have first tried to understand what you were going through when you wrote this."

"If you had repeated the sentiments or showed signs of…enacting any of those scenarios…I don't think I could have continued it."

Her hand came up to lie on his hand.

"I care about you; more than I've felt about anyone else." Her eyes dropped away from his face. "But I don't think I could be with someone that would be ok with doing such things. I don't want to be afraid of the person I'm with…"

"I'd always be on guard and wondering if he'd do such things to me someday." Her hand tightened around his as she looked back at him. "Or do terrible things to our children."

Her last statement was but a faint whisper.

He hadn't realized that she had been contemplating the possibility of him as a father.

He had considered how she would be as a mother and he was sure that if she was sweet to a stranger's child, then she would probably be just as attentive and loving with her own.

As for any thoughts regarding himself as a parent…he never really gave it much thought.

His eyes were pensive. "I honestly do not know how I would be as a father."

Sora smiled at his uncertainty, the earlier unsettling mood dissipated like the morning fog.

"Well, based on my observations," she shifted herself back onto his lap, "I think you would be grumpy during their infancy—what with the crying and midnight feeding—but you wouldn't yell at them. I most likely would be the one to coddle them when they fell and hurt themselves, but you would be standing nearby in case your help was needed."

"As for the disciplining, you'd most likely make them do the most tedious chores or have them climb up a really tall tree."

He chuckled at that.

Her arms wrapped around his neck. "And at night, when we put them to bed, I'd kiss their foreheads as you made sure they were warm and properly covered."

"Does that sound about right?" she murmured as her forehead rested against his.

"You deduced this before or after reading the letter?"

"Before," she nuzzled his cheek. "Although, I will admit, the letter had me second guessing my deductions."

She stopped and brought her face forward. "But I decided to put a little faith in you."

His eyes were warm.

"Only a little faith?" he joked. "I think I deserve more than that."

"So much more," she murmured, her lips gently touching his.

Her lips lured him, but her words stopped him from leaning into her. He felt a slight twinge of guilt for his silence on a certain matter.

"Sora, I—"

"I hope they'd have your eyes," she stated warmly.

His planned words caught in his throat. "My eyes?"

She blushed lightly. "If this—if we work out."

His hand brushed her cheek as his eyes roamed over her features.

"Your hair," he suddenly stated.

Sora's cheeks reddened as he joined in her imagining, but she was also pleased.

Her fingers ran through his locks.

"Your silky hair would be better. Besides," her eyes glowed with some heat, "I imagined a silver haired child."

Their lips collided with a sudden force.

The letter that was in Leon's hand fell to the ground as he released it to press Sora closer to him.

Her hands gripped his neck as he stood up and laid her on the nearby grass. Their lips opened to the other. She whimpered as his mouth threatened to overwhelm her.

Wisterias and soft earth cushioned her body even when Leon pushed her into the ground as their kiss deepened.

'This will work,' Leon vowed as he tasted a sweet and tantalizing future with this redheaded fairy.

TM

The talking crows in the public garden peered at the maze.

"Caw! Silver stag went in! Silver stag still in!"

One of them pecked the loudmouth on the head. The crow that had talked ducked his head away from another attack.

Another crow hopped back and forth. "Redhead too? Redhead too?"

The crow that pecked the loudmouth pecked the hopper as well. "Go look, go look."

TM

Twenty so minutes after the noon bell sounded, Ken returned.

The apprentice recognized him and pointed to the shop door. Ken gave a nod and then entered the pastry shop.

He waited in a short line for the chance to talk to the owner.

TM

Sora was in bliss.

Her hands threaded through silver smooth locks as his hand cupped her face.

She softly mewled at the feeling of his warm mouth.

All too soon, his lips left her mouth to travel along her jaw. She nearly whimpered at the loss, but was pacified with his continued affections.

His free hand undid the buttons of her collar.

He paused to take a look at his work. His thumb ran along the high mark on her neck.

'It did come out bigger than I had meant to make it.' He let out a devilish grin.

Sora caught his smug look.

Her hand lightly smacked his chest. "Don't look so high and mighty nymph; your mark got me into trouble!"

He raised a brow. "What sort of trouble?"

She sighed. "Let's just say that I can't count on Ken's advice anymore."

Her eyes were tinged with a hint of unhappiness. "Or his friendship."

Leon's grin grew solemn.

"I am sorry. That was not my intention." He placed a kiss on her cheek. "I merely wished to stop his advances, not your overall association."

She gave a crooked smile. "I knew it; you did want it visible."

"Though, you really didn't do much, now that I think about it." Her mouth twisted slightly. "Apparently, we were never friends to begin with. At least, he didn't see us as friends."

"The loss is his, then, for being so narrow-minded."

She lightly giggled. "So are you saying that if you were in a similar position, you would have been able to stay friends with a girl you had a crush on, knowing that she was interested in someone else?"

Leon looked at her with a bit of haughtiness. "I wouldn't allow our friendship to go on for so long without letting my changed interest be known."

He smirked at her. "I actually _didn't_ let it go on. I showed interest and reaped the rewards."

"Rewards?" Her lips tilted up. "Whatever could you mean by that?"

Her hands twiddled with his hair. He let her tease him.

"Do you mean something like this?" Her hand scratched the base of his neck. His eyes lowered slightly.

"Or something like this?" Her hand ran down his chest and then back up again. She saw his eyes gleam with the start of a very blue fire.

"Or this?" She leaned up to capture his mouth in a kiss. She pulled back a little with his bottom lip caught in her mouth.

His heavy exhale let her know that she was affecting him.

She released his lip. "Is that what you mean?"

The blue fire was lit and burning bright. "Something like that," he murmured.

He leaned forward to continue what she started when a flapping noise caught his attention.

'Is someone here?' His arms pulled her to his chest in order to cover her face. He looked around the area but saw nothing but a few black feathers near the secret entrance.

He relaxed and loosened his hold.

"What was it?" she quietly asked.

Leon continued to look around. "A bird."

She let out an exhale of relief. "Oh good; I thought it might have been something else."

"Just in case, we should leave soon." He helped her up.

Sora picked up the letter and wrinkled her nose. "If you didn't write these awful things, who did?"

Leon sat down on the bench. "Where did you say you found it?"

She avoided his gaze. "In Ken's room."

A silver brow rose up. "Why in all the world were you in there?"

"I'd rather not talk about it. It was awkward enough being in there."

He regarded her before he relented. "So then, why does he have the letter if it was for Prince Yuri?"

"Maybe Yuri gave it to him for safekeeping as a piece of evidence of your threat to him." she shrugged. "Anyways, it must have been traded off somewhere in the delivery."

"Delivery?" Leon questioned as his eyes unfocused.

She saw his eyes widen.

He looked at her. "Tell me, do fairy aides act as messengers?"

"From time to time, but only within the castle. Why do you ask?"

His eyes were filled with a different sort of fire. "I am positive that it was Ken that delivered my message to Prince Yuri."

TM

'Finally!' Ken thought.

The line wasn't that long and it was going fast for a while until the customer before him decided to start a very long conversation with the pastry creator.

The owner was wiping down the counter when Ken stepped up.

"Oh, hello again! Are you back for some more goods? My apprentice told me that you bought a few already."

"Oh, no. I still have some leftover from this morning. I, uh, actually wanted to talk to you about the last time I approached your booth."

The owner paused in his wiping. "Last time?"

"Yes, I had asked you if a silver haired man had passed your booth."

"Oh, yes! That's right." The owner shook his head. "I nearly forgot about that."

Ken stepped closer to the counter. "You told me that he was speaking with a lady. Do you think you can describe her to me?"

"Ah, the lady. Yes, she was pretty in her unique hair color…"

TM

TM

TM

AN: So, this chapter was getting pretty long with a total of 5,716 words. New chapter record! Haha! I had to leave some parts for the next chapter, but mood and flow wise, it should be fine. Plus, this gives you time to ponder and wonder... : P


	30. Chapter 30

TM

TM

TM

"K-Ken?" Sora sputtered.

"But how—why?" Her eyes drifted to the letter in her hand. 'He wrote these morbid things?'

Even if they weren't friends anymore, she still couldn't believe it. 'He wouldn't write something like this! It's not who he is; he couldn't think these things up even if he had a wand pointed at him!'

She sat down next to Leon.

"Are you sure it was him?"

He gave a nod. "Although his hair and eyes were muted dark colors, the mannerisms, face structure, and speech are the same, now that I think about it."

"He was in disguise," she muttered under her breath. That sounded even more suspicious.

He asked this next question more for her benefit. "Is it difficult to replicate someone's writing?"

Her eyes blankly stared at the letter. "Not really. It's just straining if you're replicating for too long." Her fingers ran across a few lines.

"I had requested a messenger to pick up a letter for Prince Yuri."

Sora responded, "Messages to royalty have to be picked up by a court messenger. When you requested a pick-up, the town messenger must have notified the court. Ken, being Yuri's aide, would have heard about the request."

"Then," Leon surmised, "he must have somehow been able to come instead of the intended messenger. Are messengers documented?"

"Yes, especially the royal messengers. However, if Ken volunteered to do it at the last minute, his name may or may not be in there, but, whoever was supposed to do it would be." Sora looked at Leon briefly. "It wouldn't be difficult for Yuri to look that up and then question the messenger listed in there."

"So, if you were to bring this to Prince Yuri's attention, he could find out."

"Hypothetically speaking, if he suspected foul play," Sora idly said. She was a bit distracted by the letter.

Leon sighed. "The likelihood of that occurring is impossible, I would think, especially at this point in time."

TM

He felt like the floor was uneven.

Ken put his hands on the counter in order to steady himself.

The owner's face grew concerned. "Are you alright, sir?"

The male fairy nodded as he tried to compose himself. "D-Did you say red hair?"

"Yes, though in the light it kind of gave off a magenta glow."

'It just can't be her!' His brows furrowed. 'She is involved with someone, but she said she met the person before coming here. That information, as well as the fact that she hadn't known who Nobleman Leon was until I pointed him out to her says that the lady with Leon can't be her!'

Yet, there was a niggling in his stomach at the owner's words.

"Did she have something in her hair?"

The owner blinked at the sudden question. "A hair accessory?"

His eyes narrowed as he tried to picture her. "I think she did."

With a brisk farewell, Ken left the shop.

TM

Mizu fanned herself as she stood around in the courts with her fellow aides.

She listened to the chatter of her companions with half an ear. 'My informant should be giving me a report later tonight.' She changed it from every other day to every night that way she would be better informed.

'Something's coming, I know it.' After almost a week without guards, the guests should be feeling better about their privacy issues.

A sigh escaped her painted lips.

'If only the king hadn't sent guard escorts that night…I wouldn't have to have given the guests some time to feel comfortable to move around unseen.'

It was such a waste of these past days. 'At least they've begun to move again.'

Her hazel eyes spotted a messenger coming towards her.

With a bow, the messenger approached. "Pardon the intrusion, Head Fairy. The General of the outer kingdom soldiers requested that these be sent to you."

A letter from the General and a very small scroll were placed into her hands.

"Thank you. You may go now."

Curious, her eyes looked over the small scroll tied by a colored string. When she saw the name on the scroll, her hands halted.

Turning to her companions, she stated, "I have some business to attend to. Continue on without me."

TM

He was losing his mind, he was sure of it.

As soon as he stepped out of the pastry shop, every red and silver object had his nerves tensing.

A flash of light hair had him turning abruptly. 'Was it Nobleman Leon?'

It was only an elderly woman.

He let out a breath. 'I should have figured that it wasn't. Besides, when he comes to the town, he goes to see the redheaded lady.

He dared not name the lady seen with Leon. His mind could not grasp the thought of sunny Sora with an impassive man as the noble.

'Besides,' he reasoned, 'when would they have met? If it was in the courts, I would have seen them.'

Though, Sora _was_ here before they arrived at this kingdom…

Ken shook his head. 'It's just ridiculous! I shouldn't even be considering it! It isn't her; it is another redheaded lady.'

Stubbornly, he ignored the fact that he had yet to see another redhead in this kingdom…

He walked on aimlessly.

TM

Upon reaching her quarters, Mizu sat at her desk.

Opening the General's letter first, she read it so that she could understand where the scroll came from.

Finished, her hand picked up the scroll.

"An unpicked up message from a pigeon house…Who would be messaging Nobleman Leon?"

Slender fingers undid the tie.

TM

Sora continued to frown at the letter. 'Why would Ken add in things to Leon's letter?'

Leon looked at it with irritation. "Was that the reason you wanted to meet with me?"

Her eyes went back to Leon.

"That and I wanted to expand on a possible cure for Sophie." Sora pulled out her notes from her bag. "During fairy aide training, one fairy mentioned that she had heard of a version in which the dwarves called upon some fairies to help them with Snow White."

Her eyes ran over her notes. "The fairies were able to purge the poison from her body; however, the effects were still in place. Thus, they needed the true love's kiss to awaken her from the slumber or paralysis the poison had put her body under."

Leon tapped his leg with his hand. "So there is a spell that can get rid of poisons?"

"Yes, it's a detoxification spell," Sora bit her lip, "however, that spell's for poisons, not really curses, which is why it worked for Snow White. While it acts like a poison, Sophie is under a curse."

"But I was thinking that, maybe," she hesitated before continuing, "maybe I can transfer the curse to myself."

Leon's eyes sharply narrowed onto her. "No."

She grabbed his hand. "Leon, just hear me out. You remember when I was wounded—" he scoffed and threw in a 'how could I forget?'

She pursed her lips but persisted. "When I was wounded, my magic came out to enhance my healing. What you don't know is that it comes out to combat hexes and spells as well. It's like my magic does a detoxification from the inside."

She looked at their hands. "It will purge the curse as long as I am conscious."

When his hand's grip tightened, she quickly added in, "Which is why Sophie's magic isn't fighting back against the curse. She was probably overwhelmed by the sudden attack and was defenseless against it. But I know what will be coming so I can fortify myself and fight it as soon as it comes into me."

Grey walls fortified in his eyes as he took it all in.

"In the tale, a prince was still required. Will we still need Prince Yuri?"

"There's a good chance that, once the curse is out of her, Sophie's magic will kick in and purge the remaining effects." She frowned. "But I won't know for sure until the curse is out of her. If her magic does kick in, we should see the results of it fairly quickly."

"A mere chance…" he murmured.

"At least we'll be able to have Sophie back. If we need Yuri, we can—"

"The king won't release her."

Sora's eyes widened.

Leon gave a tired sigh. "He said that she won't be released until his son is returned."

His lips twisted with a sort of bitterness. "It is a trade of sorts."

TM

Hazel eyes read the short message over and over again.

'Clearly, Nobleman Leon and the sender were familiar with each other; why else would the writer state rather than ask where to meet up.' While Mizu did not personally know Leon, she was sure that he wouldn't stand for being told to do something by a stranger.

Also, the fact that there are no titles listed in front of either of their names proved the familiarity conjecture she made.

Her frown deepened.

The sender's name tickled her memory for some reason, but she could not recall from where.

"Who is this Sora?"

She will have to look into it.

TM

Grass and bushes greeted his sight.

His feet had led him to the public gardens. 'I guess my mind figured that I might catch Nobleman Leon here again.'

Ken sighed. "I'm grabbing at thin straws."

Just as he was about to turn around and walk away, the cawing of a crow caught his ear. He watched as it hopped over towards the magnolia trees to join two other crows.

Very loudly, he heard the hopper proclaim, "Caw! Silver stag still in! Redhead still in!"

Ken's face lost its color. 'Silver stag? That's the phrase the Head Fairy used to talk about Nobleman Leon!'

Quickly, he ran over to the crows.

They began to back up at his approach. He stopped in his place. "Could you take me to where you saw this 'Silver stag'? I'm an informant of Head Fairy Mizu as well."

His words didn't halt their retreat. Quickly, he rummaged through his bag.

"I'll give you a few of these!" His hand held a coin.

The crows paused to look at the shiny object.

They huddled together for a few moments before one of them pecked the hopper on the head.

The hopper came over to Ken. "Come, come! Caw!"

TM

Sora's free hand reached for his face.

"Leon, I'm so sorry. When you didn't say anything about the dinner, I thought it was because the king agreed to release Sophie. But now that I actually think about it, you did say that there were guards by your house, so of course that's a sign that you were not on good terms with the king."

His grey eyes looked so tired and worn out, she wondered if he was sleeping at night.

"You can tell me things, you know." Her fingers stroked his cheek. "I came here to help you."

She placed a kiss on his cheek. "Don't take on too much by yourself."

"The same goes for you," he murmured as he felt her press a kiss on his other cheek.

She sighed. "I wouldn't be doing it by myself. Since Sophie won't be released right away, we'd need people who can sneak her out once she's freed of the curse."

Leon was quiet for a moment as he thought.

"I can find people who can get Sophie out, but what about you?" His hand kept her close. "There were multiple fairies purging Snow White's poison out. Will the curse be too much for you?"

"I honestly don't know, but I have to try. I need to believe in my abilities."

Her honey eyes implored him to do the same.

He recalled her saying that, when she didn't know if he was the writer of the terrible letter, she had decided to put faith in him and what she knew about him.

"Alright," he relented. "However…" his arm pulled her against him, "Come to me if you are in trouble."

"I-I will."

His eyes took in her blush before he firmly kissed her.

TM

The crow hopped its way over to the maze.

'Why am I not surprised?' Ken inwardly sighed. 'I should have followed my instincts and came over here sooner.'

As he followed the crow, Ken felt torn.

Was he ready to confront Leon and whoever the lady is, whether she is Sora or not?

He wanted to shrink back and deny this opportunity.

But then, he knew he would have to do it sometime.

His feathered companion made the decision for him. "Caw! We're here, we're here!"

Ken took in a breath to steady his nerves. 'Here we go…'

TM

Leon had meant it to only be a quick kiss.

However, when she started to pull his head down so she could kiss him better, all thoughts about stopping was blown out of his mind.

As he slowly pushed her to lie down on the stone bench, she attempted to speak between kisses. "Weren't we…mmm…supposed to leave?"

"Yes," he murmured and then pressed his mouth down onto hers. He gently coaxed her lips to move with his. She sweetly sighed before she pulled away.

"The grass is softer."

He chuckled, but proceeded to lift her off of the bench. "My apologies for the discomfort."

She giggled as her arms wrapped around his neck. "Apologies accepted."

Voices and footsteps broke the playful mood. They stiffened at the sounds.

'That sounds too close.' Leon shared a look with Sora.

"Grab our bags," she whispered in a hurry.

As soon as he had them, he heard her murmur under her breath, "Please let this work."

He saw her magic flooding her eyes and then her hands pressed his head forward.

She deeply kissed him.

Warmth spread throughout his body before he saw some sort of spell come over them.

'What's going on?'

TM

Ken followed the crow as it went into a secret entrance.

'I didn't even know this was here!' He looked behind him. 'I think this is around the same spot I found Leon last time. He must have been in here.'

"Caw! Here we are! Caw!"

Ken shushed it. "We don't want to let them know we're coming!"

Black wings fluttered. "Caw!"

The crow turned a corner and then hopped in place. Ken came and braced himself…

He blinked; he looked around the area and then blinked again.

'No one's here!'

"Are you sure this is where you saw them?"

"Caw! Silver stag! Redhead too!"

Ken sighed and plopped himself on the bench. Some birds sounded and the chattering of animals caught his ears.

He looked around the area. His eyes paused to take in the mosaic and then drifted around. He passed the wisteria walls, the crow, a grey squirrel and a dark haired squirrel, and then paused on the grass.

There was an imprint in the fallen wisterias and grass that seemed too big to have been a critter or the placement of a bag.

'But maybe a person…' His head tilted to look at it. 'Yes, I can kind of see the spot where a head and a body would be but it looks too short to have been the noble. And then there are strange indents around the body…'

His eyes widened. 'It could have been the lady lying down and then I guess maybe the noble was—'

His face heated up. 'T-This does seem like a meeting place for that sort of thing.'

Unwillingly, he saw a lady lying down on the grass with red hair fanned out amongst the purple and white wisterias. Her arm was outstretched, her fingers beckoned as a coy smile was on her lips. The lady in his illusion looked a great deal like—

He shook his head and the image evaporated.

Ken turned away from the imprint. 'It's _not_ her.'

"They must have left this area already."

TM

It all happened very quickly.

One moment he was enjoying a kiss from Sora and then the next moment he was standing amongst the grass with a dark furry creature wrapped around him.

Said creature jumped off of him and chittered at him.

He narrowed his eyes as he watched the creature chitter and tilt its head from side to side. 'I am not strange,' he muttered in his mind and responded to the being's statement.

He was alarmed to hear chattering coming from his mouth and he found that he understood himself.

'I also understood what the creature was saying to me.'

He looked over the creature in front of him. What he thought was dark brown fur was actually more of a maple red color. Intelligent honey eyes watched him as he figured out what was going on.

'Am I not allowed one moment of sanity?'

Mischief gleamed in Sora's eyes.

She came over and nuzzled under his chin.

He let out a low hiss and gently pushed her away.

He didn't need to start doing squirrel habits. It was bad enough that he was one.

He caught something like a huge grin on her face before she scampered behind him. He felt her tiny squirrel hands touching his grey tail. When she wrapped it around herself, he snatched it out of her grasp with a scowl.

She let out something like a chittered giggle and then bumped noses with him.

'You are taking too much enjoyment from this.'

Her fluffy reddish tail that was curled up in excitement suddenly dropped and her small ears swiveled down. When she pressed herself against him with a cooing whimper, he began to worry.

He looked behind him to see a giant Ken sitting on the bench.

When the male fairy's gaze was coming towards them, he heard Sora make that sound of distress again. Somehow, hearing her make that noise made him feel even more bothered than he already was at the male's presence.

He let out an angry hiss at Ken as his tail snapped behind him.

The fairy's gaze passed them.

Leon felt slighted by the dismissal, but Sora's now relaxed form calmed him. When she nuzzled him again, the gesture made the anger disappear altogether.

Before he could help himself, he began rubbing faces with her.

He soon realized what he was doing, but upon looking at her soft, serene face, he couldn't bring himself to stop.

He allowed her this squirrel comfort. 'Just this once; I am _not_ doing it again in a squirrel form.'

While he had been initially put off by the nuzzling when he found out where it came from, he grew to like the human variation Sora came up with.

Sora bumped noses with him again and then leaned over to pick up the two acorns close to them.

She passed the darker acorn to him. He grasped it with his clawed hands. 'Why would I need a nut?'

He chattered his question to her.

Her claw traced over a part of his acorn. He looked at it and saw what looked like a seam found on cloth sown together.

'These are our bags.' He was impressed by her spell. Though, he wondered how long such an intricate spell would last.

'Maybe that's why she handed me the acorn. We probably have to go before it wears off.'

Ken's voice boomed over them. "They must have left this area already."

The fairy turned to address the crow. "Are you sure they are still within the maze?"

"Caw! Silver stag still in! Redhead still in!"

Ken was silent for a few moments. "Then, I guess we should continue to check the rest of the maze."

Both squirrels looked at each other.

Without further comment, they bit the stems of their acorns and scurried up the wisteria wall. Once on the top, one scurried down the left side of the wall and the other went down the right.

TM

Sora pushed her little body to run faster.

Her fluffy tail somewhat bounced in the air as she went.

She was upset that she had to separate from Leon so abruptly, but it wouldn't be a good idea for them to be seen together.

When she deemed her current location far enough from Leon, she dropped the nut from her mouth.

Her body shuddered as the spell began to wear off. With a quick flash, she was in her human form again.

Her hands attempted to smooth her hair over. Just by feeling it, she could tell that there were far too many strands sticking out of the French braid. With a sigh, she undid it.

As her fingers ran through her hair, something occurred to her.

'Why would it be a bad thing if Ken saw us?' Before, when they were on speaking terms, Sora needed to hide her association with Leon so that she could get help from Ken.

Now though, there really wasn't anything she could come to him for.

While there was still the issues of why Ken interfered with Leon's message and why Yuri claimed to have not met Sophie, she highly doubted that either one would simply tell her if she asked.

'I guess it would be more advantageous for me to move about them without the two knowing my association with Leon.'

Her nose scrunched up. 'It feels wrong, especially now that we're courting.'

The amber ribbon lay across one of her legs. She was pleased to note that the nightmare no longer made her wary of it.

Her hand grabbed the ribbon and tied her hair back with it.

TM

Ken and the crow moved through the maze.

They had separated at an earlier fork in the maze. He told the crow to come and find him if he found either person.

He had taken the left while the crow had the right.

Soon, he heard some rustling up ahead. Ken ran the rest of the way over.

He halted at a small, open area with Leon lying down and reading a book at the base of a young tree. The book was lowered a bit; Leon's grey eyes briefly looked at Ken. The man looked over him for a few seconds and then he held his book up again.

Ken felt slightly upset by the noble's brush off.

The carrot top cleared his throat. "Excuse me, Nobleman Leon. I have some questions for you…"

TM

Sora had her small notebook in hand and a charcoal piece in the other.

Lazily, she drew out the flowers in her area. 'I just need to wait for Ken to see me and then I can go.'

Her fingers shaded in the blades of grass. 'I hope Leon can still come to dinner tonight.'

Even though they had preplanned to meet, after reading the fake letter she needed to speak with him sooner in order to settle her frazzled nerves and mind.

Thoughts of Leon brought a smile on her face.

Turning to a clean page, her hand began sketching from memory. 'Were his ears pointed or rounded as a squirrel?'

In the middle of her sketch, a crow's head peeked around the corner and then hopped away.

TM

Ken's voice flitted through the open air.

But no response came.

The male fairy stepped closer. "I do not have much to ask, however, I'm afraid they must be said."

Leon's figure stayed the same.

"Do you tend to come here often?"

"It is a public place, the last time I checked." The book still covered Leon's face.

"Yes, but the court gardens are much nicer. I find it strange that you, a noble, would come to so common a place."

Leon let out a noncommittal sound. "Court intrigue gets tiresome."

Ken did not miss the warning in Leon's statement. He was tempted to just leave before he incurred the man's irritation or anger. But his uncertainty and tense nerves needed to know…

"Have you run into someone here?" Ken blurted out.

This time, Leon reacted.

Calmly, he saved his spot in the book. Once the book was placed on the side, Leon sat up.

Steel grey eyes met wide blue eyes.

"And what makes that your business?"

Ken silently gulped, but surprisingly held his ground. "There have been rumors, Nobleman Leon, which I wished to confirm as they may or may not deal with a member of Prince Yuri's entourage."

A silver brow rose. "You bother me with court gossip?"

"So, do you deny any interactions with a member of Prince Yuri's group?"

Leon pushed his low ponytail over his shoulder. "Perhaps. Perhaps not."

Frustrated, Ken clenched his hand. "A simple 'yes' or 'no' would suffice, nobleman. I ask on behalf of Prince Yuri."

Sharp grey eyes narrowed. "I care not for whom you serve and my business is none of his concern, as the prince has been so kind as to inform me."

Leon finally stood up; his height towered over the male fairy.

"It would be wise to follow your prince's example before I lose all patience."

They stood in the tense atmosphere for several moments.

The cawing of a crow broke through.

With that sound, Ken gave a terse bow and left the area.

Leon stayed standing until he was sure Ken left.

With a scoff, he laid himself against the tree and opened the book to pick up where he left off.

TM

The rest of the afternoon quickly passed.

At the inn, Sarine rummaged through a trunk. She began to pull out a gown, but then she noticed that it was green.

'Sora's already worn green.' She pushed it to the side. 'Got to get Leon to see her in different colors.'

Her eye caught the edge of a sleeve. 'She hasn't worn that color yet.'

When Sarine pulled it out and laid it on the bed, she let out a huge grin.

'This will be just fine!'

The chef placed it over her arm and walked over to Sora's room.

TM

Along the pathway to the castle, a weary fairy trudged on.

Ken had followed the crow to where the redheaded lady was. As they walked, he realized that it was in the complete opposite direction of where he confronted Leon.

'The distance is great; is it possible they saw each other?'

He considered the possibility that maybe the crow had seen them briefly address each other in the beginning and then they went off on their own ways.

'But what about the imprints in that secret area; and the crow said that's where he saw them.'

His head started to hurt.

'I guess it was a quick meeting.' Though, his instinct was not happy with that simple explanation. He wasn't sure _why _it would be such a short get together. It had to have been short since they were so far apart now.

'After all, if you're involved with someone, you usually spend a fair amount of time in each other's company.'

Unless they weren't as close as he originally thought they were.

The crow stopped and Ken peered around the corner. The lady's back was to him, but he'd recognize her from anywhere.

Sora sat on the grass sketching. Wild rabbits chewed some of the greenery while Sora drew them. Her head went up to look at them and then she bent it back down to add in some more details.

He soon left after that.

Now, he walked back to his room in the castle.

'Sora was there.'

He wasn't convinced that she was involved with Leon, but her presence in the maze and the crow's words…

He didn't want to think about it.

He just wanted a nice meal and some sleep.

TM

The water in the tub was a warm temperature.

Sora was a bit reluctant to leave it, but she still had to dress and get ready.

A knock sounded on the door. "Sora dear; I left you a gown on your bed! Just come and get me when you need me to do your hair!"

"I will! Thanks, Sarine!"

Sora dunked her hair one last time to get rid of the soap.

TM

The inn was relatively quiet that night.

Leon came and was greeted by Sarine. She had winked at him and said she'd come by with the food in a few minutes.

He knocked and was greeted by a vision in midnight blue.

Red locks were pulled up in a half ponytail. The loose hair fell along her collarbone and shoulders. In her hair was a comb decorated with little cream pearls.

"Where's your ribbon?"

Sora gave a grin. "Sarine said it didn't go with my outfit."

His hand ran down her slender neck and then rested along her upper arm. 'A velvet gown,' he silently confirmed.

"What a pity," he murmured.

Her hands came up to his shoulders. "I'll make it up to you."

"How?"

Sora went onto her tiptoes so that her face was close to his.

"We can continue what we started in the maze."

He was sure that she probably wasn't aware what she was doing with her expression, but when he saw her peering up at him with a bit of fire in her honey eyes, he knew he was hooked.

They pressed their mouths together for a kiss. His hands brought her closer to him. When she felt him nipping at her bottom lip she answered his request and parted her lips.

The kiss became very warm, very fast.

As Leon walked her into her room and shut the door, a thought ran through her mind.

'This feeling…it's just like…'

"Like chocolate," she softly mewled.

Her words flitted into his mind.

"What is?" he paused momentarily to satisfy his curiosity.

"Kissing you…" she blushed lightly, "is like eating chocolate. It gives me similar thrills and makes me feel warm inside."

He gave a soft snort. "First, I am compared to flying squirrels, and now chocolate."

"You know," her hands began to undo his ponytail, "I ate them days ago, so I may be wrong. I think I might need a refresher."

"I don't have any chocolate."

"That's not what I meant. I recall the taste of chocolate." Her fingers slid through his hair.

He caught the mischief in her eyes.

"Will you help me remember by bestowing another kiss?"

"Gladly."

TM

After eating with the other male fairy aides, Ken headed back to his room.

Technically, he went and checked on Yuri first and then headed to his room. 'Duty comes first; even before personal sleep.'

Almost as soon as he entered, a knock had him coming back to the door.

Suppressing a groan, he opened the door.

The servant gave a little bow. "I carry a message from the Head Fairy."

TM

As promised, Sarine gave them time before she came up with the food.

It was a little embarrassing because when Sora opened the door, the comb in her hair was definitely not where it should be and her face was still flushed.

Mercifully, the chef merely gave her a wink and then went off. "You know where to go if you need me, dear."

Leon watched Sora from his position on the bed as she placed the tray on the side table. When she sat on the bed, Leon leaned over her. His arms wrapped around her waist as he dropped his chin onto her shoulder.

"What's for dinner?"

Sora's eyes looked at both plates. "It's some sort of fish and pasta."

Her hands picked up a fork and plate. She was able to eat the first bite, but then Leon's arm unwrapped itself from her waist and his hand brought the fork over to him to take a bite.

She gave a mock sigh of exasperation. "Do I have to feed you as well?"

With a small smile he said, "It seems so."

She jabbed the fork through some fish. "I guess there are worse things to do."

She brought it up to his mouth and he took a bite. As she bit off the rest of it, she let out a smile at his playfulness.

With a slight squeeze of his arm around her waist, he moved them over to the pillows for a more comfortable position.

TM

Ken sat in the seating area of Mizu's quarters.

He drank some more of that golden colored drink as he waited for the Head Fairy to come out.

Thankfully, he didn't have to wait long. After the traditional greetings, Mizu spoke.

"I apologize for calling you during this time, however, I have received new information that I wanted to ask your opinion about."

Ken nodded. "It is no problem."

Mizu passed the small scroll to him as she explained. "This came to me today from the General. I asked all of the head soldiers to be on a lookout for any information regarding Nobleman Leon. The lookout included all sources of communications including the pigeon houses."

He nodded again to show that he heard.

"Do I have permission to read this?"

Mizu made a small sweeping gesture. "By all means, please do."

TM

As they finished eating their dinner, Sora noticed that Leon's head seemed to be resting more heavily on her.

"Leon?" she quietly called out.

Slowly, he turned his face towards her. Her fingers came up to brush some of his hair away from his face.

"You look exhausted."

He languidly blinked at her.

She looked at the size of the bed. 'It's much too small for the both of us.'

Her eyes darted to the floor and mentally calculated the space available.

"I need to quickly grab a few things. I'll be right back." She gently unwound his arms from around her.

She was a little alarmed at how easy it was for her to do so.

Sora grabbed the tray and quietly closed the door.

True to her word, she came back rather fast. In her arms were blankets and more pillows. She momentarily placed them on the bed and then she grabbed her old mat and unrolled it. The blankets and pillows were then laid over the mat.

Sora came over to the bed.

"Leon," her hands grasped his, "come down here."

He roused himself from the light doze he was in. "I should be going back."

"You're not going back tonight," she firmly stated. "You're staying here with me and I'm going to make sure you get some actual sleep."

When he began to protest, she laid her hands along his face. "Please Leon; let me do this for you."

Her soft plea had a great effect on him. He vaguely wondered if a part of the squirrel mentality lingered within him. 'Or is this simply a male symptom to be vulnerable and affected by the soft tones of a significant other?'

He got off of the bed.

Once he did, she grabbed the blanket and pillows from the bed.

As he lay back onto the nest of goose feathers and warmth, Sora moved about him and tucked a few more pillows around him. He had already taken off his boots earlier, so she did not have to do so. She was about to lay a blanket on him when she noticed his coal black tunic.

"Do you need to take off the outer tunic?"

He nodded.

"I need to change, so you can do that while I'm in the washroom."

TM

Blue eyes stayed frozen on the short message on the scroll.

'This…is proof.'

His hand slightly shook as his mind took in this information.

'The redheaded lady has to be Sora.'

Mizu took in Ken's reaction. "I take it you know the sender?"

Ken gave a brisk nod.

"Would you care to tell me? Her name sounds familiar to me."

TM

Sora ran her hand through his silver locks.

She hovered above him as he lay on his back. "I'm going to put the sleeping spell, ok?"

His eyes sleepily regarded her attire.

It looked smooth and very feminine. The somewhat puffed short sleeves were barely clinging onto the ends of her shoulders. Her hand moved again, the action caused the right sleeve to fall off of her shoulder. The revealed skin brought back a memory.

He had been traveling on the rooftops to get to her place. It was her first night in the inn and he wanted to make sure she had settled in alright. When he was close to the inn, he saw a light on in one of the rooms. He came closer to see if it was her.

He looked into the window and saw her bare upper back.

She was apparently in the process of undoing her dress. He recalled wondering why she didn't pull the curtains over the window if she was changing. He recalled thinking that he should be looking away and not staring at the beautiful stretch of skin. He couldn't recall seeing anything like it.

He finally averted his gaze when more of her back was exposed.

He gave her a long time to change; his eyes stared at the stars. He ventured to look again when she was in her nightclothes and peeling the covers back from the bed.

Once she turned off the oil lamp, Leon left for his manor and decided to not think about the incident again.

'What a liar I am,' he mused.

His hand reached up and placed the sleeve back up. His fingers brushed along her arm.

"Thanks," she stated with a blush.

She grabbed her wand. "I'll make it a light spell, just in case."

"Will you be here?"

She stroked his face with her free hand. "I'll stay with you. Don't worry."

With that, her wand glowed.

Sora watched as his eyelids grew heavier. Sleepily he pulled her down to lay with him. She made herself comfortable against his side.

"Sora," he murmured. "You can do the flowers custom again."

She rubbed her cheek against his chest. "Are you sure?"

"You welcomed me with the white ones."

She smiled. "Yes, I did."

His arm wrapped around her. "I accept the welcome."

"Good." She grabbed his hand and kissed it. "Now go to sleep."

TM

As Ken left, Mizu thought about her informant's report and the new information about the sender of the scroll.

'Sora is a redhead and most likely the lady that is interacting with Nobleman Leon.'

She tapped her fan against her palm. 'The red hair and name sound familiar, but I think I'd have to see her in person."

She grinned as an idea formed in her mind.

TM

TM

TM

AN: Here's a long chapter for the long wait! So many things to address and connect, but I believe I have most of it sorted out so far.


End file.
